Understanding and safeguarding patient dignity in intensive care

Area of Science:

• Nursing Ethics
• Patient Care
• Human Dignity

Background:

• Dignity is a paramount ethical concern in nursing care, emphasizing the treatment of patients as unique individuals with inherent value.
• Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly vulnerable to dignity threats due to critical illness.
• Maintaining patient dignity in the ICU presents unique challenges for healthcare professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore intensive care nurses' understanding of patient dignity.
• To identify factors that threaten patient dignity within the ICU setting.
• To determine strategies nurses employ to safeguard patient dignity.

Main Methods:

• A survey questionnaire with open-ended questions was used to gather data from nurses.
• Hermeneutic reading and text interpretation were employed for data analysis.
• The study included 25 nurses from an intensive care unit in Finland.

Main Results:

• Nurses perceive patient dignity as absolute, rooted in recognizing each patient as a unique human being and acknowledging shared humanity.
• Threats to dignity include negative attitudes, compromised patient integrity, and exclusion from care decisions.
• Dignity is further jeopardized when care is provided against a patient's will or due to the acute nature of intensive care.

Conclusions:

• Nurses understand and value patient dignity, recognizing its multifaceted nature in intensive care.
• Addressing negative attitudes, ensuring patient involvement in decision-making, and respecting patient autonomy are crucial for preserving dignity.
• Continued focus on ethical care practices is essential to uphold patient dignity in critical care settings.