Curationis
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In this article the results of research undertaken to explore and describe the experience of Registered Nurses regarding the withdrawal of treatment from the critically ill patient in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), are discussed. Withdrawal of treatment from a critically ill patient in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a very traumatic experience for all those involved. The Registered Nurse has the most contact with all those who are involved throughout the process. ⋯ The inner moral conflict experienced by the nurse relating to the ethical aspects of withdrawal of treatment. The focus of this article is on the discussion of these experiences of the registered nurses. Based on the identified themes, guidelines were developed to accompany the nurse during the process of withdrawal of treatment.