Objective To explore the reasons that ICU nurses′ who refuse to donate their organs to provide references for improving the current situation of ICU nurses′ participation in organ donation. Methods Using objective sampling method, 16 ICU nurses selected from hospitals with organ transplantation qualifications in Chongqing were investigated by semi-structured interviews, the data were analyzed by Colaizzi 7-step method of phenomenology in qualitative research. Results The reasons that ICU nurses′ reluctance to donate their own organs were summarized into the following themes: the great ethical dilemma brought by organ donor acquisition, the negative impact brought by organ transplantation, ICU nurses lacking consensus about organ donation, and a series of problems in the management policy of organ donation. Conclusion The factors hindering the implementation of organ donation by ICU nurses are widely related to the ethical dilemma of organ donation, the side effects of organ transplantation, the insufficient popularity of organ donation, and the remaining weak links of organ donation. It is suggested that medical and health institutions can help ICU nurses face the ethical issue of organ donation correctly by introducing the silent ceremony and other relevant measures. It can also add the training content of the progress of organ transplantation, establish the organ donation education system in the hospital, and optimize the compensation policy of organ donation to promote ICU nurses′ awareness of organ donation, and to provide guarantee and support for their participation in organ donation. Key words: ICU nurse; Organ donation; Organ transplantation; Phenomenography; Qualitative research