Ethical Dilemmas in Intensive Care Nursing: A Critical Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56861/jkepun.v1i1.19Keywords:
Ethical Dilemmas, Intensive Care Nursing, Moral Distress, Ethical Consultation, Interprofessional Collaboration, Moral Case DeliberationAbstract
This critical review explores various ethical dilemmas faced by nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) by reviewing English-language literature from the period 2000–2025. A comprehensive search of PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar using keywords such as “ethical dilemmas,” “intensive care nursing,” and “ICU ethics” yielded 32 qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method studies, narrative reviews, and professional ethical guidelines. Thematic analysis identified three main categories of dilemmas: end-of-life decision-making, professional duty conflicts (between beneficence, non-maleficence, and patient autonomy), and resource allocation in crises. The findings also highlight the significant prevalence of moral distress, its impact on nurses’ emotional well-being, and the effectiveness of mitigation strategies such as ethical consultation, interprofessional collaboration, and moral case deliberation. Recommendations include strengthening institutional ethical support mechanisms, providing ongoing training on ethical frameworks, and integrating moral reflection forums into clinical practice to reduce moral burden and improve the quality of ICU care.
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