ICU nurses’ moral distress in decisions to implement physical restraints

Sogand Sarmadi, Akbar Zare-Kaseb, Neda Sanaie, Fariba Borhani, Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Medical Ethics and Law Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

Nursing Ethics: An International Journal for Health Care Professionals

Published online on March 09, 2026

Abstract

Nursing Ethics, Ahead of Print.
BackgroundUse of physical restraints in intensive care units (ICUs) creates ethical challenges for nurses and often causes moral distress as they balance patient safety with autonomy and dignity.Research aimTo explore Iranian ICU nurses’ experiences of ...