Can qualitative research play a role in answering ethical questions in intensive care?

Scientific and technological progress, as well as increased patient autonomy have profoundly changed the world of healthcare, giving rise to new situations that are increasingly complex and uncertain. Quantitative paradigms, of which the main bastion is evidence-based medicine (EBM), are beginning to reach their limits in daily routine practice of medicine, and new approaches are emerging that can provide novel heuristic perspectives. Qualitative research approaches can be useful for apprehending new areas of knowledge that are fundamental to recent and future developments in intensive care.