Identifying and Prioritizing Ethical Challenges in Clinical Services of Patients With Confirmed COVID-19 in Iran's...

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Public Health Emergencies
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented health emergency, necessitating rapid adaptation in clinical services.
• This situation inevitably led to ethical dilemmas in healthcare delivery, impacting professional conduct.
• Understanding these challenges is vital for ensuring ethical practice during public health crises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and prioritize the ethical challenges encountered in clinical services for patients with confirmed COVID-19 in Iranian hospitals.
• To provide insights into the ethical landscape of healthcare during a pandemic.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach with an exploratory sequential design was employed.
• The study involved two phases: a qualitative systematized review and a quantitative phase using a 35-item questionnaire.
• The questionnaire was developed based on the findings from the qualitative phase.

Main Results:

• Ethical challenges were categorized into three main areas: those related to service providers (physicians and nurses), service recipients (patients), and organizational factors.
• Challenges concerning service providers were found to be the most significant, followed by patient-related and organizational challenges.
• Statistical analysis indicated a significant difference in the importance of these challenge categories (P < .05, χ2 = 6.23).

Conclusions:

• The findings highlight the critical ethical considerations for healthcare providers, patients, and healthcare organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Prioritizing these ethical challenges is essential for mitigating negative impacts and upholding professional standards in emergency healthcare settings.
• This research offers a framework for addressing ethical issues in future public health crises.