# Perception of the ethical climate among healthcare professionals in an emergency room from southern Brazil

## TL;DR

This study assesses how healthcare professionals in a Brazilian emergency room perceive ethical behavior and decision-making.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into the ethical climate in a specific emergency room setting in southern Brazil.

## Key findings

- The general ethical climate was perceived as positive by healthcare professionals.
- The medical factor was the only aspect perceived as negative.
- Age was the only significant demographic factor associated with a positive ethical climate.

## Abstract

The ethical climate is defined as the shared perception among healthcare professionals of what is ethically correct behavior and how to deal with ethical issues.

To evaluate the perception of the ethical climate among health professionals working in an emergency room.

Cross-sectional study carried out with healthcare professionals working in the emergency room of a university hospital in southern Brazil. Collection took place in January 2024 through the Positive Ethical Climate Promotion Platform, through the Hospital Ethical Climate Survey-Brazilian Version instrument. The data was organized and analyzed on the Positive Ethical Climate Promotion Platform, applying descriptive statistics.

71 health professionals participated in the research, in which the general ethical climate was classified as positive (M=3.73; SD=0.60). The factors were evaluated as positive, except for the medical factor (M=3.23; SD=1.16), classified as negative. Descriptively, female professionals (p=0.063), with a partner (p=0.508), aged over 42 years (p=0.047) and with training time over 17 years (p=0.072) presented high averages for positive ethical climate, however, only age showed a significant association.

Despite the positive assessment of the general ethical climate, the importance of self-reflection and self-awareness when making ethical decisions in care is understood.

The general ethical climate and its factors were evaluated as positive, however, the medical factor was perceived as negative.