Objective:

to analyze the bioethical principles and ethical virtues in the decision-making of physiotherapists in an intensive care unit (ICU) in Bogotá. Methodology: a qualitative study with the participation of physiotherapists specialized in critical care and workers of an ICU in Bogota. Data collection tools: participant observation, field diary, and semi-structured interview. A hermeneutic categorical analysis was performed. Results: the main bioethical discussions in the ICU refer to the principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, tangentially to the principles of human dignity and human rights, equality, justice and equity, and respect for human vulnerability and personal integrity. Some virtues expressed were benevolence, compassion, care, and prudence. Conclusions: according to the participants, the principles of respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice are tools for analyzing, reflecting, and solving conflicts that occur on a daily basis in the ICU; the virtue of prudence is the most difficult to cultivate, especially in the context of the seriousness of the patient in the ICU or when informing relatives about his condition. In the ICU, discussion of bioethical principles based on human rights and ethical virtues should be encouraged in the ICU, for the sake of humanized and quality practices.