Nursing Ethics最新文献

{"title":"Organ Donation and Transplantation Coordinators' Experience and needs for ethics education.","authors":"Jayoung You, Myoungsoo Kim, Sunyoung Son, Ilhak Lee","doi":"10.1177/09697330241265405","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241265405","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Transplant coordinators face ethical conflicts in various situations, such as deciding who should receive organ donations and how to consider patient costs and such conflicts are expected to be more frequent in Korea, as organ transplant coordinators in the country perform both organ acquisition and transplantation.</p><p><strong>Research aim: </strong>This study aims to develop an ethics education program to enhance organ transplant coordinators' ethical competence and address the ethical conflicts faced by them during clinical practice.</p><p><strong>Research design: </strong>A descriptive study.</p><p><strong>Participants and research context: </strong>An online survey was conducted from March 22 to May 28, 2021. The study was conducted among 160 registered members of the Korea Organ Transplant Coordinators Association. Ultimately, 87 participants agreed to participate in the study.</p><p><strong>Ethical considerations: </strong>Permission to conduct the study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study revealed variations in the degree of ethical conflict based on the participants' general characteristics. Furthermore, organ transplant coordinators exhibited high levels of ethical competence and expressed a need for ethics education. The findings also indicated a positive correlation between higher ethical competence and greater demand for ethics education.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Based on the findings, developing standardized ethics education programs tailored to organ transplant coordinators is recommended. These programs should focus on improving ethical decision-making skills and establishing professional ethics. The education provided should be practical, applicable in the clinical setting, and responsive to the participants' awareness and concerns regarding ethics education.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"588-600"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141735507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decent work and ethical ideologies of nurses-A multicenter cross-sectional study.","authors":"Mohamed Ali Zoromba, Hasan Abualruz, Mohammad A Abu Sabra, Mohamed Ahmed Zoromba, Heba Emad El-Gazar","doi":"10.1177/09697330241262471","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241262471","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Although research has established that the work environment significantly shapes nurses' ethical behavior, it's less clear whether decent work could influence ethical ideologies of nurses.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To investigate the decent work conditions and ethical ideologies of nurses, and to analyze whether decent work influences their ethical ideologies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A multicenter cross-sectional survey was conducted among 203 nurses working in three tertiary governmental hospitals across two cities in Egypt. We utilized the Scale of Decent Work, which consists of 15 items distributed across five dimensions, to assess the level of decent work conditions. Additionally, the Ethics Position Questionnaire, containing 20 items divided into two categories-idealism and relativism-was used to evaluate the ethical ideologies of nurses. Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses were applied to analyze the data.</p><p><strong>Ethical considerations: </strong>Ethical approval from the ethics committee, institutional permission, and informed consent from the participants were obtained for data collection.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings indicated that the levels of decent work conditions were moderate, while the ethical ideologies of nurses were relatively high. Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses revealed that the idealism of nurses was significantly predicted by two dimensions of decent work-organizational values, and hours allowing for free time and rest-along with the overall decent work score. Meanwhile, the relativism of nurses was significantly predicted by the presence of physically and interpersonally safe working conditions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Nurses experiencing decent work conditions characterized by high organizational values and adequate hours for free time and rest are more inclined to adopt idealistic ethical ideology. Meanwhile, those experiencing physically and interpersonally safe working conditions tend to embrace relativistic ethical ideology.</p><p><strong>Implications for clinical practice: </strong>Identifying the relationship between decent work conditions and the ethical ideologies of nurses can assist hospital administrators in fostering work conditions that promote appropriate ethical ideologies among nurses.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"601-613"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141443600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Explaining the process of learning about dignity by undergraduate nursing students: A grounded theory study.","authors":"Hugo Franco, Sílvia Caldeira, Lucília Nunes","doi":"10.1177/09697330241265409","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241265409","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The learning process about dignity and how undergraduate nursing students experience and use this ethical knowledge is an under-represented field in nursing research. To overcome the lack of conceptual clarity, it is important to understand what processes and dimensions students develop to support this learning outcome.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to explain the process of learning about dignity by undergraduate nursing students.</p><p><strong>Research design and methods: </strong>A qualitative study was conducted using the grounded theory method.</p><p><strong>Participants and research context: </strong>Data was collected through free reports and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 participants. A focus group was held for the selective coding. Sampling began purposefully and evolved into theoretical. Reflective and theoretical memos were generated from the data collection and constant comparison. Data analysis was performed using qualitative data analysis software using Corbin and Strauss' method.</p><p><strong>Ethical considerations: </strong>The research was approved by a specialized research ethics committee from a Health School.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The process of learning about dignity by undergraduate nursing students revealed 'recognition of dignity' as the core category, supported by five main categories: 'proto-conscience of dignity', 'pathway to nursing', 'consciousness of dignity', 'ways of learning', and 'becoming capable'. These categories illustrate the processes and dimensions involved in nursing students' concept translation of dignity learning, allowing a theory to emerge.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The 'Recognition of Dignity' theory aims to contribute to developing educational, training, and supervision processes for nursing programs. It seeks to enhance the ethical and moral development of undergraduate nursing students by helping them understand the concept of dignity and its fundamental importance in nursing.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"498-513"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11800701/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141762079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nursing students' attitude toward euthanasia following its legalization in Spain.","authors":"Antonia Arreciado Marañón, Rosa García-Sierra, Xavier Busquet-Duran, Gloria Tort-Nasarre, Maria Feijoo-Cid","doi":"10.1177/09697330241238342","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241238342","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Euthanasia is a controversial practice in many countries. Since Spain's Euthanasia Law came into effect on March 24, 2021, healthcare providers have faced a new challenge since they must inform patients, provide care, accompany them, and implement the law. It also represents a new stumbling block at universities, which must adapt to regulatory changes and educate future professionals accordingly. Little is known about the attitude of nursing students in Spain toward euthanasia since this law was implemented.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to answer the following research questions: What is the attitude of nursing students toward euthanasia? What factors influence this attitude?</p><p><strong>Research design: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Participants and research context: </strong>The study population comprised all nursing students at a public university in Barcelona (<i>n</i> = 444), Spain, during the 2022-2023 academic year. The validated Spanish version of the Euthanasia Attitude Scale was employed. A bivariate analysis was performed.</p><p><strong>Ethical considerations: </strong>The university Ethics Committee (CEEAH 6247) approved this study. All participating students signed an informed consent form. Participation was voluntary, and data anonymity and confidentiality were guaranteed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two hundred and forty-four nursing students responded to the questionnaire. The mean total score was 79.64. Participants with religious beliefs presented lower scores, indicating a more negative attitude toward euthanasia. Participants in their second, third, or fourth year of the nursing degree scored higher, demonstrating a more positive attitude.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The attitude of nursing students toward euthanasia was remarkably positive. Working on ethical content during the degree course and clinical practice are factors that help to develop a more positive attitude. In addition, nursing education should encourage professional aspects to prevail over religious beliefs in euthanasia situations.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"412-423"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11800690/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140141025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Do ethical views of end-of-life patients' family members impact organ donation decisions?","authors":"Berna Aksoy, Esengul Kasıkcı Turker","doi":"10.1177/09697330241265455","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241265455","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> The relatives of patients who decide to donate their loved one's organs experience dilemmas about organ donation and are affected by culture, religion, and individual views.<b>Aim:</b> The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the ethical position and personal characteristics of the family members of the patients receiving end-of-life care and their thoughts about organ donation in Turkey.<b>Research design and participants</b>: The study was completed with 158 family members. For data collection, a personal information form and the Ethics Position Questionnaire were used.<b>Ethical considerations:</b> This study was obtained from the ethics committee of the faculty of medicine in Turkey. It was based on voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, and anonymity.<b>Results:</b> All participants in the study shared the same faith and were Muslims. The idealism and relativism tendencies of the participants tended to be high. The number of children, the participants have, participants' status of waiting for an organ transplant, the view that the clergy and health personnel will increase interest in organ donation were identified as factors associated with idealism tendencies. Participants' status of having children, the number of children participants have, participants' status of organ transplant waiting, the view that the health personnel will increase interest in organ donation were identified as factors associated with relativism tendencies (<i>p</i> < 0.0.5).<b>Conclusion:</b> The results of this study demonstrated a relationship between participants' idealism and relativism tendencies, among those with a large number of children, waiting for organ donation, advocating for clergy guidance to increase organ donations, and believing healthcare professionals need not guide to increase organ donations. In light of this finding, it may be recommended to establish a multidisciplinary team, including healthcare professionals and clergy, and to inform the society with accurate information to increase the number of organ donations.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"530-542"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141749521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coping strategies and interventions to alleviate moral distress among pediatric ICU nurses: A scoping review.","authors":"Junqing Chen, Nan Lin, Xian Ye, Yangxiu Chen, Yi Wang, Hongzhen Xu","doi":"10.1177/09697330241252875","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241252875","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Backgrounds: </strong>Moral distress significantly affects pediatric ICU nurses, leading to nurse burnout, increased turnover and reducing patient care quality. Despite its importance, there's a notable gap in knowledge on how to manage it effectively.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>This review aimed to systematically identify and analyze coping strategies and interventions targeting moral distress among pediatric nurses in ICU, uncovering research gap and future studies directions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A scoping review was conducted followed framework by Levac, Colquhoun, and O'Brien and Arksey and O'Malley. Searches were performed in 11 electrical databases, like PubMed and China Biology Medicine disc, within a timeframe of the database construction to November 2023, and performed literature screening and data extraction.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sixteen articles were ultimately included. Coping strategies adopted by pediatric ICUs nurses can be categorized into adaptive and maladaptive strategies, with the latter including passive acceptance, taking leave, and drinking, while the former involve pursuing interests outside of work, reflection and philosophizing, and communication. Nine articles described and evaluated the effectiveness of interventions for moral distress, categorizing them into individual and institutional levels. Individual-level interventions include Interprofessional Perspective-Taking, the PICU Resiliency Bundle, Ethics Education/Skills, and the Center for Caring. Institutional-level interventions encompasses Comprehensive Care Round, Goals of Care Conversations, Pediatric Ethics and Communication Excellence Rounds, Nursing Ethics Council, and Medical Ethical Decision-Making, though not all were effective in alleviating moral distress.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Nurses often use self-adjustment strategies for moral distress, institutional ethical support focusing on enhancing nurses' moral resilience, promoting reflective thinking and improving communication remains crucial. Various interventions for moral distress are currently available, but nurse engagement is low and their effectiveness remained to be verified. Future studies should explore what aids or hinders these interventions. There's also a need for large, multicenter trials and ongoing evaluations to create effective support systems for pediatric ICU nurses.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"437-459"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140946182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Latent profile analysis of nurses' moral courage: a professional values perspective.","authors":"Kaili Hu, Quan Zhou, Yufen Zhang, Wei Tian, Minglong Wu","doi":"10.1177/09697330241270734","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241270734","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Nurses' moral courage (NMC) enhances care quality and patient safety. Nurses' professional values promote ethical adherence, moral obligation fulfillment, and compliance to prevent ethical violations. It is necessary to explore the current status and influencing factors of moral courage from the perspective of professional values.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To investigate the current situation of nurses' moral courage, analyze the latent profiles of nurses' moral courage, and explore the influencing factors from the perspective of professional values.</p><p><strong>Research design: </strong>A cross-sectional design was employed.</p><p><strong>Participants and research context: </strong>Data were collected through convenient sampling at a tertiary hospital during May 2023 in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. A self-designed web-based questionnaire consisting of demographic characteristics, the Chinese Nurses' Professional Values Scale-Revised Version (NPVS-R-CV) and the Nurses' Moral Courage Scale (NMCS) were used for the cross-sectional survey. Latent profile analysis was conducted using the results of 3 explicit indexes of NMCS, and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of NMC.</p><p><strong>Ethical considerations: </strong>Research ethics approval (with the code of TJ- IRB 20220543) was obtained from Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>This study included 966 nurses, predominantly female and under 30 years old, with 91.10% holding a bachelor's degree. Latent profile analysis identified three moral courage profiles: low-level (31.5%), medium-level (47.2%), and high-level (21.3%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed significant positive correlations between professional values and moral courage, with head nurses being significantly more likely to exhibit high moral courage (OR = 3.586, <i>p</i> = 0.013).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The moral courage of nurses can be classified into 3 subgroups. Nurses' professional values positively correlate with moral courage, with head nurses showing significantly higher levels of moral courage. Strengthening professional values through training can enhance ethical behavior in nursing, potentially improving patient care and safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"678-689"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141914371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of stretch service goals on unethical behaviors of nurses: A three-wave cross-sectional study.","authors":"Yali Li, Haiqing Shi, Taiwen Feng","doi":"10.1177/09697330241255933","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241255933","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Stretch service goals strive to motivate healthcare practitioners to maintain high quality in service provision. However, little is known about how stretch service goals trigger nurses' unethical behavior.</p><p><strong>Research aim: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the influence of stretch service goals on nurses' unethical behavior, as well as the mediating effects of patient entitlement and nurses' emotional dissonance.</p><p><strong>Research design: </strong>A quantitative cross-sectional study is designed.</p><p><strong>Participants and research context: </strong>We sourced data by conducting a time-lagged three-wave survey study from March to September 2020. Random sampling was used, and data were collected from 422 nurse-patient pairs in Chinese hospitals. Bootstrapping method and structural equation modeling were employed to verify the conceptual model.</p><p><strong>Ethical considerations: </strong>The study was approved by the designated authority within hospitals and ethical committees.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Stretch service goals are not directly related to nurses' unethical behavior. Stretch service goals can trigger nurses' unethical behavior via patient entitlement. Patient entitlement and nurses' emotional dissonance play a chain-mediating role between stretch service goals and nurses' unethical behavior.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In the context of the healthcare industry, nurses may engage in unethical behavior due to the pressure of achieving stretch service goals. This study contributes to opening the \"black box\" of stretch service goals and nurses' unethical behavior by exploring the chain-mediating effect of patient entitlement and nurses' emotional dissonance.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"614-628"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141443603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The relationship between nurses' professional values and ethical attitudes to pain.","authors":"Sevda Korkut, Gamze Saatçi","doi":"10.1177/09697330241263993","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241263993","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pain management is a fundamental human right for everyone who experiences it. The management of pain is an ethical obligation for all health professionals. Professional values have an important place in appropriate clinical decision-making.</p><p><strong>Research aim: </strong>This study was conducted to determine the relationship between nurses' ethical attitudes in pain management and their compliance with professional values.</p><p><strong>Research design: </strong>The study was conducted as a descriptive and correlational research. The study data were collected by online survey method using the Introductory Characteristics Form, Ethical Attitude Scale for Pain Management in Nursing, and Nurses Professional Values Scale - Revised.</p><p><strong>Participants and research context: </strong>The population of the study consisted of nurses working in tertiary treatment centers in a country. A total of 388 nurses participated in the study.</p><p><strong>Ethical considerations: </strong>Ethical approval was obtained from the University Ethics Committee. Consent was obtained from the nurses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean total score of the Ethical Attitude Scale for Pain Management in Nursing was 98.96 ± 9.37, and the mean total score of the Nurses Professional Values Scale was 101.51 ± 15.20. The scores of the Ethical Attitude Scale for Pain Management in Nursing were positively and moderately correlated with the total scores of the Professional Values Scale. Compliance with professional values explained 41% of the total variance of ethical attitude for pain management.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this study, it was found that nurses' ethical attitudes for pain management and compliance with professional values were at a high level, compliance with professional values was associated with ethical attitudes for pain management, and ethical attitudes for pain management decreased with increasing working years. A nurse with high ethical sensitivity and compliance with professional values can easily recognize ethical problems, effectively manage the ethical decision-making process, and provide appropriate patient care.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"460-471"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141731572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Critical care nurses' experiences of ethical challenges in end-of-life care.","authors":"Lena Palmryd, Åsa Rejnö, Anette Alvariza, Tove Godskesen","doi":"10.1177/09697330241252975","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241252975","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In Swedish intensive care units, nine percent of patients do not survive despite receiving advanced life-sustaining treatments. As these patients transition to end-of-life care, ethical considerations may become paramount.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To explore the ethical challenges that critical care nurses encounter when caring for patients at the end of life in an intensive care context.</p><p><strong>Research design: </strong>The study used a qualitative approach with an interpretive descriptive design.</p><p><strong>Research context and participants: </strong>Twenty critical care nurses from eight intensive care units in an urban region in Sweden were interviewed, predominately women with a median age of fifty-one years.</p><p><strong>Ethical considerations: </strong>This study was approved by The Swedish Ethics Review Authority.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Critical care nurses described encountering ethical challenges when life-sustaining treatments persisted to patients with minimal survival prospects and when administering pain-relieving medications that could inadvertently hasten patients' deaths. Challenges also arose when patients expressed a desire to withdraw life-sustaining treatments despite the possibility of recovery, or when family members wanted to shield patients from information about a poor prognosis; these wishes occasionally conflicted with healthcare guidelines. The critical care nurses also encountered ethical challenges when caring for potential organ donors, highlighting the balance between organ preservation and maintaining patient dignity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Critical care nurses encountered ethical challenges when caring for patients at the end of life. They described issues ranging from life-sustaining treatments and administration of pain-relief, to patient preferences and organ donation considerations. Addressing these ethical challenges is essential for delivering compassionate person-centered care, and supporting family members during end-of-life care in an intensive care context.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"424-436"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11800706/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141075703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}