Ethical sensitivity and related factors of nurses working in the hospital settings

• Published in: Acta bioethica Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 265 - 270
• Main Authors: Ertug, Nurcan, Aktas, Demet, Faydali, Aaide, Yalçin, Osman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centro Interdisciplinario de Estudios en Bioética, Universidad de Chile 01.11.2014
• Subjects: ETHICS; MEDICAL ETHICS; SOCIAL SCIENCES, BIOMEDICAL; ethical sensitivity; enfermeiros; ética; enfermeros/as; sensibilidad ética; sensibilidade ética; ethics; nurses
• ISSN: 1726-569X; 1726-569X
• DOI: 10.4067/S1726-569X2014000200014

The purpose of the study is to determine the level of ethical sensitivity and related factors of nurses working in the hospital settings. This descriptive study was conducted at a public hospital and a university hospital in Ankara, Turkey between April-July 2012. A total of 111 nurses participated in the study. The data were collected using a data collection tool consisting of two parts. The first part consisted of questions that determined the nurses’ personal and socio-demographic characteristics. The second part comprised of "Byrd’s Nurses Ethical Sensitivity Test". The data were evaluated by using frequency, percentage, t-test and one-way ANOVA. Of the 111 nurses, 39,7% had a work experience of 1-3 years, 51,4% was married and 38,7% did not have ethics education. Education levels of most of the nurses (62,2%) were bachelor’s degree. The mean ethical sensitivity score of nurses was 21,12±2,85. "It was determined that ethical sensitivity of nurses was found to be higher in those that had ethics education, older age group, and had bachelor’s degree than others (p<0,05)". The mean ethical sensitivity score of nurses was of medium level. It is concluded that ethical sensitivity was influenced by ethics education, age groups, and educational background.