Effectiveness of ethics education as perceived by nursing students

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tine Vynckier ◽  
Chris Gastmans ◽  
Nancy Cannaerts ◽  
Bernadette Dierckx de Casterlé
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Content Validity ◽  
Ethics Education ◽  
Nursing Ethics ◽  
User Friendliness ◽  
Instructional Dialogue ◽  
Quantitative Descriptive ◽  
Ethics Courses

Background: The effectiveness of ethics education continues to be disputed. No studies exist on how nursing students perceive the effectiveness of nursing ethics education in Flanders, Belgium. Objectives: To develop a valid and reliable instrument, named the ‘Students’ Perceived Effectiveness of Ethics Education Scale’ (SPEEES), to measure students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of ethics education, and to conduct a pilot study in Flemish nursing students to investigate the perceived efficacy of nursing ethics education in Flanders. Research design: Content validity, comprehensibility and usability of the SPEEES were assessed. Reliability was assessed by means of a quantitative descriptive non-experimental pilot study. Participants and research context: 86 third-year baccalaureate nursing students of two purposefully selected university colleges answered the SPEEES. Ethical considerations: Formal approval was given by the ethics committee. Informed consent was obtained and anonymity was ensured for both colleges and their participating students. Findings: The scale content validity index/Ave scores for the subscales were 1.00, 1.00 and 0.86. The comprehensibility and user-friendliness were favourable. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.94 for general effectiveness, 0.89 for teaching methods and 0.85 for ethical content. Students perceived ‘case study’, ‘lecture’ and ‘instructional dialogue’ to be effective teaching methods and ‘general ethical concepts’ to contain effective content. ‘Reflecting critically on their own values’ was mentioned as the only ethical competence that, was promoted by the ethics courses. The study revealed rather large differences between both schools in students’ perceptions of the contribution of ethics education to other ethical competences. Discussion and conclusion: The study revealed that according to the students, ethics courses failed to meet some basic objectives of ethics education. Although the SPEEES proved to be a valid and reliable measure, the pilot study suggests that there is still space for improvement and a need for larger scale research. Additional insights will enable educators to improve current nursing ethics education.

Lecture-based versus problem-based learning in ethics education among nursing students

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1753-1764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahnaz Khatiban ◽  
Seyede Nayereh Falahan ◽  
Roya Amini ◽  
Afshin Farahanchi ◽  
Alireza Soltanian
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Moral Development ◽  
Moral Reasoning ◽  
Ethics Education ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Nursing Ethics ◽  
Moral Decision ◽  
Moral Decision Making ◽  
The Mean

Background: Moral reasoning is a vital skill in the nursing profession. Teaching moral reasoning to students is necessary toward promoting nursing ethics. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of problem-based learning and lecture-based methods in ethics education in improving (1) moral decision-making, (2) moral reasoning, (3) moral development, and (4) practical reasoning among nursing students. Research design: This is a repeated measurement quasi-experimental study. Participants and research context: The participants were nursing students in a University of Medical Sciences in west of Iran who were randomly assigned to the lecture-based (n = 33) or the problem-based learning (n = 33) groups. The subjects were provided nursing ethics education in four 2-h sessions. The educational content was similar, but the training methods were different. The subjects completed the Nursing Dilemma Test before, immediately after, and 1 month after the training. The data were analyzed and compared using the SPSS-16 software. Ethical considerations: The program was explained to the students, all of whom signed an informed consent form at the baseline. Findings: The two groups were similar in personal characteristics (p > 0.05). A significant improvement was observed in the mean scores on moral development in the problem-based learning compared with the lecture-based group (p < 0.05). Although the mean scores on moral reasoning improved in both the problem-based learning and the lecture-based groups immediately after the training and 1 month later, the change was significant only in the problem-based learning group (p < 0.05). The mean scores on moral decision-making, practical considerations, and familiarity with dilemmas were relatively similar for the two groups. Conclusion: The use of the problem-based learning method in ethics education enhances moral development among nursing students. However, further studies are needed to determine whether such method improves moral decision-making, moral reasoning, practical considerations, and familiarity with the ethical issues among nursing students.

Effects of using standardized patients on nursing students’ moral skills

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1587-1602
Author(s):  
Gulhan Erkus Kucukkelepce ◽  
Leyla Dinc ◽  
Melih Elcin
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Moral Reasoning ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Ethics Education ◽  
Ethical Decision ◽  
Ethical Decision Making ◽  
Case Analysis ◽  
Standardized Patients ◽  
Moral Sensitivity

Background: Nurses and nursing students increasingly confront ethical problems in clinical practice. Moral sensitivity, moral reasoning, and ethical decision-making are therefore important skills throughout the nursing profession. Innovative teaching methods as part of the ethics training of nursing students help them acquire these fundamental skills. Aim: This study investigated the effects and potential benefits of using standardized patients in ethics education on nursing baccalaureate students’ moral sensitivity, moral reasoning, and ethical decision-making by comparing this method with in-class case analyses. Research design: This is a quasi-experimental study. Participants and research context: The sample comprised 89 students in Hacettepe University’s Faculty of Nursing. Following lectures describing the theoretical components of ethics, students were randomly assigned to two working groups, one using standardized patients and the other using in-class case analyses. Data were collected using the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, Rest’s Defining Issues Test, and the Nursing Dilemma Test. All data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 23. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval and official permission were obtained. All participating students completed informed consent forms. Findings: According to the results, the moral sensitivity of students in the standardized patient group significantly improved over time compared to those in the case analysis group, while the mean scores of students in both groups for moral reasoning and ethical decision-making were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Based on our results, we recommend the use of both standardized patients and case analysis as appropriate teaching methods in ethics education.

Operational effectiveness of blended e-learning program for nursing research ethics

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 484-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kap-Chul Cho ◽  
Gisoo Shin
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Students ◽  
Research Ethics ◽  
Ethics Education ◽  
Nursing Ethics ◽  
Nursing Research ◽  
Research Practice ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Good Research Practice ◽  
Good Research

Background: Since 2006, the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and the National Research Foundation of Korea have taken the lead in developing an institutional guideline for research ethics. Objectives: The purpose was to identify the effectiveness of the Good Research Practice program, developed on a fund granted by the National Research Foundation of Korea, for nurses and nursing students whose knowledge and perception of research ethics were compared before and after the implementation of the Good Research Practice program. Research design: This study was conducted to compare the levels of knowledge and perception of research ethics in the participants before and after the program was implemented. Participant and research context: The participants included 45 nurses and 69 nursing students from hospitals, colleges of nursing, and the Korean Nurses Association, located in Seoul, Korea. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the Institutional Research Board in Korea. Findings: Based on the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation model, the Good Research Practice program was made up of a total of 30 h of the blended learning both online and off-line. The results of this study showed that there were statistically significant differences in both knowledge and perception of research ethics in nursing students and nurses before and after the program had been implemented. Discussion: The concepts of professional nursing ethics, moral issues, and bioethics were often confused with one another and not clearly defined. Therefore, the concept and scope of bioethics, moral judgment, and overall nursing ethics should be well defined and conceptualized in the future. Conclusions: This study suggested integrating research ethics education in the nursing curriculum as a required course of study for nursing students and as part of the in-service training program for nurses in order to improve research ethics in nursing research in Korea.

Ethical Reasoning Observed: a longitudinal study of nursing students

2002 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter W Nolan ◽  
Doreen Markert
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Nurse Educators ◽  
Ethical Reasoning ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Nurse Education ◽  
Nursing Courses ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Ethics Courses

All nursing courses in the UK include ethics in the curriculum, although there is considerable variation in the content of ethics courses and the teaching methods used to assist the acquisition of ethical reasoning. The effectiveness of ethics courses continues to be disputed, even when the perceptions and needs of students are taken into account in their design. This longitudinal study, carried out in the UK, but with implications for nurse education in other developed countries, explored the ethical understanding of nursing students and changes in their understanding and approaches to practice over their four years of training (1995-1999). The data collection tools were a questionnaire originally piloted prior to the 1995 study, from which the present study developed, and five vignettes describing ethical dilemmas in health care also piloted in 1995. Students’ thinking progressed as they became more mature as individuals and professionals, although this progress was not necessarily in the direction of greater certainty. Suggestions are made to help nurse educators to maximize the effectiveness of ethics courses in transmitting the skills of ethical reasoning.

Nurse Educators' and Nursing Students' Perspectives On Teaching Codes of Ethics

2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia Numminen ◽  
Arie van der Arend ◽  
Helena Leino-Kilpi
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Nurse Educators ◽  
Ethics Education ◽  
Codes Of Ethics ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Modern Health Care ◽  
Professional Codes ◽  
Ethics Curriculum

Professional codes of ethics are regarded as elements of nurses' ethical knowledge base and consequently part of their ethics education. However, research focusing on these codes from an educational viewpoint is scarce. This study explored the need and applicability of nursing codes of ethics in modern health care, their importance in the nursing ethics curriculum, and the need for development of their teaching. A total of 183 Finnish nurse educators and 212 nursing students answered three structured questions, with an opportunity to justify their responses, and one open-ended question. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyse the data. The results suggest that the existence of the codes was seen as important and their applicability mainly as appropriate, despite new challenges posed by modern health care. The codes were regarded as an important part of nurses' ethics education, but current integrated teaching methods require development.

scholarly journals A Case-Centered Approach to Nursing Ethics Education: A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (21) ◽  
pp. 7748
Author(s):  
Won Lee ◽  
Sungkyoung Choi ◽  
Sujeong Kim ◽  
Ari Min
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Ethics Education ◽  
Nursing Ethics ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Ethical Decisions ◽  
Education Data ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Set Up

Nurses deal with ethical decisions as they protect patients’ rights, but a consensus on effective approaches to nursing ethics education is lacking. The “four topics” method can facilitate decision-making when nurses experience ethical dilemmas in practice. This study aimed to describe nursing students’ perspectives on and experiences of a case-centered approach to nursing ethics education using the four topics method. This qualitative study consisted of two phases. First, we delivered case-centered nursing ethics education sessions to nursing students using the four topics method. Then, we conducted two focus group discussions that explored students’ perspectives on and experiences of nursing ethics education. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Four themes were identified: the importance of ethics education as perceived by nursing students, problems in current nursing ethics education, the experience of case-centered nursing ethics education using the four topics approach, and suggestions for improving nursing ethics education. The case-centered approach using the four topics method is effective in enhancing nursing students’ nursing ethics ability. It is crucial to understand that nursing students would like to set up their own ethical standards and philosophy. Continuous efforts to encourage students’ participation and to provide ethical reflection opportunities during clinical practice are needed to better connect theory with clinical practice.

Teaching Nursing Ethics by Cases: a personal perspective

1999 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 434-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Holland
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Students ◽  
Moral Theory ◽  
Personal Perspective ◽  
Nursing Ethics ◽  
Teaching Ethics ◽  
Study Material ◽  
Limited Effectiveness ◽  
Ethics Courses

This article is a reflection on the use of case study material in the teaching of ethics to nursing students. Given the main aims of a course in ethics for nurses and the limited effectiveness of formal moral theory, it seems inevitable that the mainstay of nursing ethics courses will continue to be case study material. This approach has recently been criticized on a number of grounds. The author suggests here that disquiet over teaching ethics in this way should motivate a concern not with whether, but how, teaching by cases is to be undertaken.

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