Bioethical aspects of physiotherapy in the intensive care unit

Physiotherapy in the intensive care unit faces great challenges due to the pathophysiological complexity of the critically ill patient, the high technification of care and the constant bioethical dilemmas during clinical practice. The physiotherapist must base her actions on bioethical principles to guarantee respect for the patient’s autonomy, provide interventions with the highest level of evidence, reducing adverse events, in addition to fairly distributing the available resources. The questioning of clinical practice from bioethics will allow for a more humane clinical practice, with joint decision-making and a higher level of satisfaction on the part of the patient or family. The objective of this article is to provide a general perspective of bioethics in the practice of the physiotherapist who cares for patients in the intensive care unit.