The aim of the study was to describe Tanzanian nurses’ meaning of and experiences with ethical dilemmas and workplace distress in different care settings. An open question guide was used and the study focused on the answers the 29 registered nurses’ supplied. The written answers were analysed with a phenomenological-hermeneutic method inspired by the philosophy of Ricoeur. From the findings the theme, ‘Tanzanian registered nurses’ invisible and visible expressions about existential conditions in care’, emerged from the interpretation of the following sub-themes, which appeared from the structural analysis: (1) ‘Suffering from workplace distress’; (2) ‘Suffering from ethical dilemmas’; (3) ‘Suffering from maintaining a good quality of nursing’; (4) ‘Suffering from the lack of respect, appreciation, and influence’; (5) ‘Suffering from a heavy workload does not prevent the registered nurses from struggling for better care for their patients’. In this study, the deep analysis of the Tanzanian nurses’ work situations shows that on a daily basis, they find themselves working on the edge of life and death, while they have few opportunities for doing anything about this situation. One of the conclusions is that the nurses need professional guidance so they can get insight into and also be able to reflect on the situations they are in, while also being made conscious of the fact that they do not have to overload themselves with ethical dilemmas and workplace distress.