Effect of Ethical Dilemma on Decision Making among Nurses in Critical Care Units at Baqubah Teaching Hospital

Ethical dilemma is a common challenge among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and may influence clinical decision-making. Objective to assess ethical dilemma and decision-making among ICU nurses and examine the relationship between them. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 109 ICU nurses at Baqubah Teaching Hospital. Ethical dilemma was measured using the Moral Distress Scale-11 and decision-making using the Clinical Decision-Making in Nursing Scale. The mean ethical dilemma score was 101.41±32.74, indicating a moderate level. The mean decision-making score was 131.91±13.16, indicating good decision-making. A statistically significant correlation was found between ethical dilemma and total decision-making (p=0.029). Ethical dilemma is associated with clinical decision-making among ICU nurses, highlighting the need for organizational and educational interventions.