BACKGROUND: Nursing professionals working in Intensive Care Units (ICU) are at high risk of developing negative emotional responses as well as emotional and spiritual problems related to ethical issues. The design of effective strategies that improve these aspects is determined by knowing the levels of burnout and ethical conflict of these professionals, as well as the influence that the practice environment might have on them.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between levels of burnout, the exposure to ethical conflicts and the perception of the practice environment among themselves and with sociodemographic variables of the different intensive care nursing professionals.
METHODS: Descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional, observational study in an ICU of a tertiary level university hospital. The level of burnout was evaluated with the Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey scale; the level of ethical conflict with the Ethical Conflict Questionnaire for Nurses and the perception of the environment with the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. The association between categorical variables was analyzed using Fisher\'s exact chi-square test (χ2) RESULTS: 31 nurses and 8 nursing assistants were evaluated, which meant a participation rate of 82,93%. 31,10% of the nursing professionals presented signs of burnout, 14,89% considered that they work in an unfavorable environment and 87,23% presented a medium-high index of exposure to ethical conflict. The educational level (χ2=11.084, p=0.011) and the professional category (χ2=5.007, p=0.025) influenced the level of burnout: nursing assistants presented higher levels of this. When comparing the level of burnout with the environment and the index of ethical conflict, there were no statistically significant differences.
CONCLUSIONS: The absence of association found in the study between Burnout and ethical conflict with the perception of the practice environment suggests that personal factors may influence its development.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to assess the need for a common ethics strategy shared by 2 of the cornerstones of human welfare: the healthcare and social services sectors.
METHODS: An observational cross-sectional descriptive study was performed by surveying social services and healthcare professionals. A purposive sampling technique was used. The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions about ethical conflicts in professional practice and respondents\' views on a proposed shared approach to bioethics and ethics in social intervention.
RESULTS: 124 professionals completed the questionnaire, 56% of the health sector and 44% of the social services sector. About 90% professionals surveyed had had to make difficult ethical decisions in their work and would welcome a common approach to ethics in the social services and healthcare sectors. 75% said that conflicts are occurring more frequently in both sectors simultaneously and that they were resolved preferably individually and independently.
CONCLUSIONS: The survey respondents believe that a common approach to tackling ethical conflicts in professional practice is required. Nevertheless, it is still rare for ethics committees to intervene in the conflict resolution process and for decision-making support and evaluation tools to be used.

BACKGROUND: Spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (SMA-1) tends to be fatal in the first year of life if there is no ventilatory support. The decision whether to start such support is an ethical conflict for healthcare professionals.
METHODS: A scenario of acute respiratory failure in an infant with SMA-1 has been included in a training program using advanced simulation for Primary Care pediatricians (PCP). The performances of 34 groups of 4 pediatricians, who participated in 17 courses, were systematically analyzed. Clinical, ethical and communication aspects with parents were evaluated.
RESULTS: The initial technical assistance (Administration of oxygen and immediate ventilatory support) was correctly performed by 94% of the teams. However, the PCP had problems in dealing with the ethical aspects of the case. Of the 85% of the teams that raised the ethical conflict with parents, 29% did so on their own initiative, 23% actively excluded them, and only 6% involved them and took their opinion into account in making decisions. Only 11.7% asked about the quality of life of children and 12% for their knowledge of the prognosis of the disease. None explained treatment alternatives, nor tried to contact the pediatrician responsible for the child.
CONCLUSIONS: When faced with a simulated SMA-1 infant with respiratory failure, PCP have difficulties in interacting with the family, and to involve it in the decision making process. Practical training of all pediatricians should include case scenarios with an ethical clinical problem.

There is some confusion in the national gerontological literature in the use of terms that refer to mechanical restraints. There is a lack of dialogue as regards ethical conflicts that suggest their use, as well as a significant generalization of the claims against, and the absence of positive references despite its high prevalence as shown by some authors. This paper presents some technical proposals on the definition, the use of terms, and the use of mechanical restraints in the social environment, such as putting the ethical dialogue to arguments based on the prevalence, define them in terms of their intent, agree on a classification of the different restraint methods, identify the types and levels of risk, and intervene specifically in accordance with these proposals. Finally, recommendations are added with regards to risks, the decision process, prescription and the withdrawal process.