Table 4.

Categories.

Phases	Main categories	Sub-categories	Key category
Context of origin	Coping strategies (e.g. talking to colleagues) could alleviate ethical conflicts Lack of resources (e.g. lack of time and personnel or economic pressure) could strengthen ethical conflicts
	Motivation to invoke CEC	Expectation that problems will be solved by the CEC Easy access to CEC lowers inhibitions to request the CEC
Ethics consultation	Performance of ethics consultations	Differences of opinion Structural conditions Moderation
Practical consequences	Need for reflection and assistance

CEC: clinical ethics committee.