Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Ethical Issues

Ethical Issues

Nurses are essential in patient care, upholding the ethical principles of their profession and effectively navigating ethical dilemmas. Neglecting ethical issues can lead to inadequate patient care, compromised therapeutic relationships, and moral distress among healthcare workers.
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:

Ethical Dilemmas I

Ethical Dilemmas I

Ethical dilemmas in nursing are of utmost importance, as they often arise from the tension between adhering to core ethical principles and the practical realities of healthcare delivery. These dilemmas require nurses to navigate complex situations where competing ethical considerations pull them in different directions.
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...

Ethical Standards I

Ethical Standards I

The American Nurses Association (ANA) created and implemented the first nationally accepted Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. The Code of Ethics is a living document regularly updated by the ANA and establishes an ethical standard that is non-negotiable for nurses in all roles and settings.
The Code of Ethics provisions outline the nurse's duty to the patient, the healthcare team, the profession, and society. The Code's fundamental principles include advocacy,...

Obedience

Obedience

According to obedience research, we may harm others under the forceful pressures of an authority figure (Milgram, 1974). How about if the inappropriate orders were delivered with less force? The increasing interdependence between nurses and physicians compelled Hofling and his colleagues to explore nurses’ reactions to a potentially harmful medical request made by the perceived authority figure, the doctor (Hofling, Brotzman, Dalrymple, Graves, & Pierce, 1966). In this situation, obedience...

Ethical Standards II

Ethical Standards II

Ethical standards are the backbone of nursing practice, guiding nurses as they interact with patients, families, and colleagues. These standards are crucial for providing safe, empathetic care centered on the patient's needs.
Nurses are entrusted with upholding various ethical principles and standards. Nurses forge solid therapeutic relationships using trust, empathy, autonomy, confidentiality, and professional competence.
Confidentiality is crucial, embodying respect for individual privacy and...

Nursing Code of Ethics

Nursing Code of Ethics

The Nursing Code of Ethics sets the ethical benchmark for the profession, and guides nurses in ethical analysis and decision making at the societal, organizational, and clinical levels. The code encompasses showing compassion and respect for the patient, their families, and communities in all circumstances while committing to providing patient-centered care. In addition, the code states that nurses must advocate for the patient by defending a cause or recommendation to protect their rights,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Influence of oncology nurses' decision-making and personality traits on missed nursing care and related factors: A correlational study.

European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society·2024

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

Objective Nociceptive Assessment in Ventilated ICU Patients: A Feasibility Study Using Pupillometry and the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex

Objective Nociceptive Assessment in Ventilated ICU Patients: A Feasibility Study Using Pupillometry and the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex

Published on: July 4, 2018

Ethical issues experienced by intensive care unit nurses in everyday practice.

Maria I D Fernandes¹, Isabel M P B Moreira

¹Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, Portugal. isabelf@esenfc.pt

|August 25, 2012

Summary

Intensive care nurses perceive ethical issues in end-of-life care, privacy, and teamwork. Strategies to address these involve personal, team, and institutional resources, with moral development and training being key.

More Related Videos

An Educational Video Demonstration of How to Prone a Critically Ill Intubated Patient

An Educational Video Demonstration of How to Prone a Critically Ill Intubated Patient

Published on: November 30, 2022

Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies

Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies

Published on: January 16, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 19, 2026

Objective Nociceptive Assessment in Ventilated ICU Patients: A Feasibility Study Using Pupillometry and the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex

Objective Nociceptive Assessment in Ventilated ICU Patients: A Feasibility Study Using Pupillometry and the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex

Published on: July 4, 2018

An Educational Video Demonstration of How to Prone a Critically Ill Intubated Patient

An Educational Video Demonstration of How to Prone a Critically Ill Intubated Patient

Published on: November 30, 2022

Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies

Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies

Published on: January 16, 2019

Area of Science:

Nursing Ethics
Critical Care Medicine
Qualitative Research

Background:

Nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) frequently encounter complex ethical dilemmas.
Understanding these ethical challenges is crucial for improving patient care and nursing practice.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify ethical issues perceived by intensive care nurses.
To explore the reasons behind these ethical issues.
To determine interventions and strategies for minimizing ethical issues in ICUs.

Main Methods:

Qualitative content analysis of semi-structured interviews.
15 nurses from intensive care units in 4 Portuguese hospitals participated.
Homogenized multiple sampling ensured diverse participant selection.

Main Results:

Key ethical issues identified include end-of-life decisions, patient privacy, interpersonal interactions, teamwork dynamics, and healthcare access.
Personal, team, and institutional factors contribute to the experience of these ethical issues.
Nurses utilize personal and team resources to address these challenges.

Conclusions:

Moral development and continuous training are essential strategies for managing ethical issues in intensive care nursing.
Addressing ethical dilemmas requires a multi-faceted approach considering individual, team, and organizational aspects.
Further research can inform the development of targeted interventions to support nurses facing ethical challenges.