Relationship Between Nurses’ Ethical Sensitivity and the Perceived Necessity of Observing Patients’ Rights in Intensive Care Units of Shahroud University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Background: Intensive care units (ICUs) present numerous ethical challenges because of patients’ critical conditions and the complexity of clinical decision-making. Nurses’ ethical sensitivity, defined as the ability to recognize ethical values, issues, and conflicts, may play an important role in promoting ethical care and respecting patients’ rights. Objectives: This study aimed to determine nurses’ ethical sensitivity and their perceived necessity of respecting patients’ rights in the intensive care units (ICUs) of Shahroud University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This descriptive correlational study used census sampling among nurses working in the intensive care units (ICUs) of Shahroud University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Ethical Sensitivity Questionnaire developed by Lützén et al., and the Patient Rights Necessity Questionnaire developed by Parsapoor et al. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18 and appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical tests. Results: A total of 104 nurses participated in the study; 65.4% were women, and 63.5% were married. The participants’ mean age and work experience were 34.49 ± 8.63 and 10.28 ± 8.40 years, respectively. The mean overall ethical sensitivity score was 77.68 ± 10.20, and 69.2% of nurses had high ethical sensitivity. Ethical sensitivity was significantly associated with marital status (P = 0.017), educational level (P = 0.001), employment status (P = 0.001), age (P = 0.008), and workplace (P = 0.050). The mean overall score for the perceived necessity of observing patients’ rights was 95.63 ± 19.89, and 86.5% of participants rated it as good or excellent. The highest mean score was for patients’ right to access information about their illness (62.89 ± 14.75), whereas the lowest was for the existence of a patient complaint-handling system (4.19 ± 1.59). The perceived necessity of observing patients’ rights was significantly associated only with workplace (P = 0.023). Conclusions: ICU nurses demonstrated high ethical sensitivity and favorable perceptions of the need to respect patients’ rights. However, lower scores for professional knowledge and patient complaint-handling systems indicate a need to strengthen professional ethics education, patient rights training, and accountability mechanisms. Creating a supportive work environment and implementing continuing education programs may improve ethical nursing care and service quality.