Introduction: Moral disengagement, as a cognitive mechanism, enables the selective deactivation of internal standards and exposes nurses in high-pressure clinical environments to behaviors contrary to values. This scoping review was conducted to identify and categorize the factors associated with this phenomenon.

Methods: This scoping review was conducted based on the Arksey and O’Malley framework and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A literature search was performed in international databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Google Scholar) and domestic databases (SID, Magiran) for studies published from January 2016 to August 2026. Following screening and quality assessment using CASP and MMAT tools, data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Out of 3,790 identified cases, 15 studies (11 quantitative, 1 mixed-methods, 3 qualitative) from various countries were included. Factors associated with moral disengagement were categorized into 5 main groups: 1. Demographic, individual, and occupational factors; 2. Psychological factors; 3. Managerial and leadership styles; 4. Organizational and workplace environment factors; 5. Level of moral disengagement. Moral distress, psychological fatigue, and heavy workload were identified as aggravating factors, while resilience and ethical leadership served as protective factors.

Conclusion: Moral disengagement is a multidimensional phenomenon resulting from the interaction of individual traits, psychology, leadership, and organizational conditions. Preventing it requires a multi-level approach including moral capacity building, improvement of the organizational climate, reform of leadership styles, and resource provision. Furthermore, conducting longitudinal and interventional studies is recommended to determine causal relationships.