Privacy in critical care units: the patient's rights and implications for nursing professionals

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of nursing professionals about the patient's privacy hospitalized in the ICU and their implications. This qualitative study based on content analysis revealed the following categories: Exposing the patients' body and intimacy: the professionals' attitudes and actions; intimacy: difficulties experienced by the professionals and the patients' reactions; the lack of intimacy protection of the patient: contradictions that arise from the practice. The results point to the need for professionals to rethink their achievements in relation to the protection of the patient's privacy, by means of acts/attitudes which provide security in care actions. Privacy preservation is the patient's right and the professional's ethical commitment, giving to people dignity in the care process in the ICU.