Volume 30, Issue 1 (Winter 2022)                   Avicenna J Nurs Midwifery Care 2022, 30(1): 1-11 | Back to browse issues page

Ethics code: IR.UMSHA.REC.1399.1076


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Hajilo P, Torabi M, Eslami Panah M. Relationship Between Ethical Reasoning and Professional Values among Nursing Students. Avicenna J Nurs Midwifery Care 2022; 30 (1) :1-11
URL: http://nmj.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-2351-en.html
1- Undergraduate Student of Operating Room, Nahavand School of Paramedical Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
2- Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran , mo.torabi@umsh.ac.ir
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Background and Objective
Ethics in nursing is one of the most important issues in this profession. Given that nurses are increasingly faced with moral dilemmas daily, reasoning in ethical decision-making is an inseparable part of this profession. On the other hand, advances in technology and the development of nursing plans pose complex ethical challenges for nurses, which, if not properly responded to, can have a detrimental effect on nurses in clinical decision-making.
Ethical reasoning is a part of the moral decision-making process that shows the ability of an individual to judge and make correct and logical decisions in the face of moral problems. In other words, moral reasoning is the ability of an individual to choose the appropriate solution based on knowledge and conscience among several solutions. In nursing, an appropriate level of ethical reasoning leads to the provision of better quality care to patients and an increase in job satisfaction among nurses. Professional values are important parts of this profession, and nurses are obliged to adjust their activities in accordance with these values. This study aimed to investigate the level of ethical reasoning and attitude toward professional values among the final year nursing students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran, in 2020.
Materials and Methods
The present descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 125 senior undergraduate nursing students by census method. Final year nurses were selected due to their greater presence in clinical settings and facing more ethical challenges compared to younger students. Informed consent was obtained from all participants and they were assured about the confidentiality of their personal information. The required data were collected through a three-part questionnaire consisting of a demographic information form, Nursing Dilemma Test, and Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised. Questionnaires were distributed in person and electronically. Data analysis was performed in SPSS 26 software.
Results
Data analysis showed that there was no significant relationship between ethical reasoning and professional values (r=0.023, P=0.79). The mean score of students' moral reasoning was reported to be above average (46.4±6.84). Moreover, the mean score of students' professional values was obtained at a desirable level (96.84±9.28). Out of all participants, 30 (9 male and 21 female) students intended to change majors. According to the findings, the total score of students' moral reasoning was 46.4±6.84 with minimum and maximum scores of 30 and 60, indicating that students on the verge of moral education showed the necessary skills to deal with and solve moral problems in the environment. The mean score of participants' practical considerations was estimated at 23.4±08.72 with minimum and maximum scores of 12 and 3, which showed most of the environmental factors and organizational climate for moral decision-making and clinical activities of students.
Conclusion
The results of the present study indicated that there was no significant relationship between ethical reasoning and professional values among nursing students. An extensive search of databases and literature reviews failed to find a study that directly measured the relationship between ethical reasoning and professional values. However, by examining different studies, it is possible to identify environmental factors and contexts related to each of them and create a suitable context for promoting professional values and acquiring ethical decision-making skills in the challenges of clinical settings. The findings of the present study revealed that the level of moral reasoning was above average among nursing students. Accordingly, nurses adhere to the ethical concepts of their profession and have relatively good moral development, their actions are guided by ethical principles, and they take actions based on patients' benefits, equal rights, and justice establishment. According to the results of the present study, although no significant relationship was found between the moral reasoning of nursing students and their professional values, the students had an appropriate level of moral reasoning and good knowledge of the values related to their profession. By identifying the factors affecting these two variables, it is possible to provide a good ground for promoting professional values and the ability of students' moral reasoning on the eve of graduation and play a role in improving the quality of patient care services. Although there was no significant relationship between students' moral reasoning and professional values, to raise the level of moral reasoning and institutionalize professional values in students, it is essential to have an educational plan in college.
Type of Study: Original Research | Subject: Education in Nursing and Midwifery
Received: 2021/07/5 | Accepted: 2021/10/2 | Published: 2022/05/15

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