Five families share their views of ethical decisionmaking in the NICU

Five families' descriptions of their experiences with neonates in the intensive care nursery provides a glimpse into their perceptions of ethical problems and moral actions. Based on clinical experiences with families of high-risk neonates in the community health setting, a need for parents to share their reflections with a broader audience was identified. Definitions of conflict, identification of moral problems, and determination of right action showed similarities and differences among the families. Future study is suggested to validate these impressions for generalization to additional families.