The influence of hospital nurses’ moral sensitivity and ethical values on their biomedical ethics awareness

Abstract

Purpose: This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to examine the influence of nurses’ moral sensitivity and ethical values on their biomedical ethics awareness. Methods: The study participants included 140 registered nurses working at three hospitals in Jeollabuk-do Province over six months. The data were collected from June 22 to July 3, 2020, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression analysis with the IBM SPSS/WIN 20.0 program. Results: As a result of an analysis using stepwise multiple regression, nurses’ biomedical ethics awareness was found to be significantly influenced by ethical values (β=.36, <i>p</i><.001), moral sensitivity (β=.21, <i>p</i>=.007), and education in biomedical ethics (β=.16, <i>p</i>=.042) (adjusted R²=.21, <i>p</i><.001). Conclusion: These findings suggest that moral sensitivity and ethical values are key factors in hospital nurses’ development of biomedical ethics. Furthermore, the devising and implementing of a practical education program based on practical cases in medical situations to enhance nurses’ biomedical ethics awareness is needed.