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Nurses' Ethical Decision-Making During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Muslim Community: A Qualitative Study
Elham Amiri1, Hossein Habibzadeh2, Roghaieh Azimzadeh2
1Student Research Committee, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
SAGE Open Nursing
|February 9, 2026
Summary
Intensive care nurses in Iran balanced humanitarian duties with legal and religious obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their ethical decisions prioritized patient welfare, navigating complex crisis situations effectively.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Nursing Practice
- Public Health Crises
Background:
- COVID-19 pandemic presented significant ethical challenges for healthcare professionals.
- Religion and law heavily influence clinical practice, complicating ethical decision-making during crises.
- Balancing deontological and consequentialist ethical frameworks is particularly difficult in emergency situations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the ethical decision-making experiences of intensive care nurses.
- Focus on experiences within a Muslim community in Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative content analysis approach.
- Conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 14 intensive care nurses.
Main Results:
- Nurses demonstrated humanitarian commitment beyond formal duties.
- Nursing practice was influenced by legal and organizational frameworks.
- A consequentialist perspective was applied in decision-making, balancing patient welfare with constraints.
Conclusions:
- Nurses' ethical decisions were shaped by professional, legal, religious, and cultural factors.
- Actions reflected a balance between ethical theories, not rigid rule adherence.
- Need for context-sensitive ethical guidelines and support for nurses in crisis settings.
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