The moral dilemma of ICU nurses in end-of-life care: A meta-synthesis

Ziru Leng, Chunmei Huang, Lihan Ying, Hongji Yv, Qingyun He, Xinling Zhou, Deyan Gao, School of Nursing, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hospital-Acquired Infection Control Department, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Medical School, Taizhou University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Emergency ICU, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province

Nursing Ethics: An International Journal for Health Care Professionals

Published online on April 28, 2026

Abstract

Nursing Ethics, Ahead of Print.
Despite advancements in critical care medicine, moral challenges in end-of-life care persist. Approximately 80% of ICU deaths occur after decisions are made to limit or withdraw life-sustaining treatments. ICU nurses frequently experience moral dilemma ...