JCNRJournal of Clinical and Nursing Research2208-36852208-3693Bio-Byword Scientific Publishing Pty. Ltd.10.26689/JCNR.v10i8.15408ArticleThe Moral Courage of Newly Recruited Intensive Care Unit Nurses: A Qualitative Study Based on Taylor’s Emancipatory Reflective Diarieshttps://artdesignp.com/journal/JCNR/10/8/10.26689/JCNR.v10i8.15408HuYue,TangXiaoyan,DengYangyang,YuanRong20261082026-08-31Objective: Nursing practice is a moral endeavor that requires nurses to possess the courage to uphold their ethical positions. In the intensive care unit (ICU) environment, newly hired nurses may face ethical dilemmas due to a lack of moral courage. This study aims to investigate the current state of moral courage among newly hired nurses in ICUs in China and to explore strategies for enhancing their moral courage. Method: The Taylor’s emancipatory reflective model was employed to collect reflective journals from newly hired ICU nurses, which were then analyzed using the traditional content analysis method. Results: A thorough analysis of the reflective journals revealed four key themes: (1) the current state of moral courage; (2) scenarios requiring moral courage; (3) factors influencing moral courage; and (4) strategies for enhancing moral courage. Conclusion: This study elucidates the current state of moral courage among newly hired ICU nurses in Southwest China and proposes corresponding enhancement strategies; the findings provide valuable references for nursing educators and administrators in developing targeted interventions, while also highlighting the importance of fostering a supportive work environment and its connection to clinical practice. Understanding the moral courage of newly hired ICU nurses and its influencing factors enables nursing administrators to implement tailored interventions, alleviate their professional ethical pressures, and ultimately improve patient care quality.Intensive care unit, Novice nurses, Moral courage, Reflective journal, Taylor’s emancipatory reflection model

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