The Relationship between Futile Care and Moral Sensitivity in Nurses Working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Medical Training Centers in Gorgan 2024

Background: Nursing interventions in neonatal intensive care units of hospitals can occasionally turn into futile and costly measures, bringing about ethical conundrums. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between futile care and moral sensitivity among nurses working at the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) of teaching medical centers in Gorgan city, North of Iran. Methods: This 2024 descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 100 NICU nurses enrolled by quota sampling. Data collection tools included a demographic information questionnaire, the Lutzen moral sensitivity questionnaire, and a futile care questionnaire developed based on the Corley moral distress scale. The data gathered were entered into SPSS version 21 software and analyzed using descriptive (tables, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential (Pearson correlation coefficient) statistics. Results: According to the results, the participants acquired the mean score of 62.12 ± 4.08 for moral sensitivity and 44.16 ± 5.81 for futile care. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed no significant association between moral sensitivity and futile care (r = - 0.12, P = 0.2). Conclusion: Regarding the impact of nurses’ moral sensitivity and perception of futile care on the quality of health service provision, authorities are advised to consider plans and solutions (such as professional ethics training courses) to improve nurses’ awareness of ethical dilemmas, moral sensitivity, and attitudes towards futile care.