Jane’s situation highlights the complexity of decision-making in an intensive care unit. Jane makes a recommendation regarding what she feels is best for her patient; however, there are other clinicians involved in her patient’s care. When the resident does not follow Jane’s recommendation, she is left feeling uncertain about the best course of action. Having norepinephrine infused through a peripheral IV puts Jane’s patient at risk, but other factors (eg, the power differential between her and the resident/attending physician, her inability to effectively communicate her concerns, the time of day when the situation occurred) prevent her from taking further steps and she is left with a sense of unease. Although Jane may not label her predicament as an ethical problem, the decided plan of care is not in line with her professional goals (promotion of good and prevention of harm)—this predicament should be considered an ethical issue. Jane’s case is...

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