Dilema Etik yang Dialami Perawat di Ruang Neonatologi Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Rumah Sakit Umum Pusat H. Adam Malik Medan : Studi Fenomenologi

Abstract

Background The problem of ethics frequently places nurses in two opposite sides among clients' confidence, doctors' philosophy, and the policy of the hospital which eventually make nurses confused in doing their jobs and will cause ethical dilemma. In this difficult situation, as professionals, nurses have to be able to behave professionally in making up their mind, based on ethical principle. The objective of the research was to explore ethical dilemma undergone by nurses in Neonatology Intensive Care Unit. Methode The research used qualitative method with phenomenological approach. There were ten nurses as the participants who worked minimum of one year in the NICU with the inclusive sample criteria of Government Officials. The data were gathered by conducting to 60 minute in-depth interview for each participant and analyzed by using content analysis and processed manually according to Collaizi (1978). Result of the research showed that there were seven themes about ethical dilemma undergone by nurses in the Neonatology Intensive Care Unit of Center Public Hospital H. Adam Malik Medan; they were 1) doing doctors' instruction versus considering action based on moral, 2) maintaining the use of ventilators for MBO babies versus moving the ventilators to the babies that attempted to be alive, 3) conducing immediate action versus waiting for the decision from the families, 4) respecting the trust from the families versus prioritizing the comfort of the babies, and 5) helping breathing with siped device versus respecting fundamental rights of families. Conclusion It is recommended that nurses in the Neonatology Intensive Care Unit maintain the principle based on ethics, maintain the role of advocacy for babies in order that they will be comfortable during the treatment in the NICU. It is also recommended that the future researchers use other research methods such as grounded theory and action research.