A Study on Moral Judgement and Ethical Values of Nursing students

Kwon, Young-Mi

The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education 2002;8(1):17-28.
Published online June 30, 2002.

Kwon, Young-Mi;

Department of Nursing, Kyungin Women's College

간호학생의 도덕판단과 윤리적 가치관

권영미

경인여자대학 간호과

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide the basic sources for educational program that identifies moral judgement and ethical values of nursing students. The subjects consisted of 114 nursing students in college. Data were collected by the Korean Form of Moral Development Inventory(Shin, 1997) and Nursing Ethical Values(Lee, 1990) from March 5 to 21. 2002. The findings were as follows: 1. The mean score of the stage 5B was higher than the score of other stages. The mean score of P(%) was 39.15. No significant difference were found between P(%) and general characteristics. 2. The mean score of the nursing ethical values was 3.38. The nursing students took the position of deontology slightly. In nurse-colleague relationship area(4.22), the subjects should to taking evidently deontological position. 3. According to general characteristics, no significant difference was found except nurse-patient relationship area among subcategory of ethical values. The mean score of this area by influence person of moral development were significantly different at the .05 level. 4. The trend of subjects in action choices on 4 dilemmas of the DIT showed between-subjects variability. Action choices on 'Heinz and the drug', 'Doctor's dilemma', and 'webster' were 'pro' in most of subjects, whereas 'escaped prisoner' was 'con'. 5. The ethical values in human-life area associated with action choices on 'Heinz and the drug' was significantly different . And the nursing ethical values, human-life area, and nurse-nursing task relationship area were significantly different according to action choices on 'Doctor's dilemma'. 6. There was found little correlation between action choices on 4 dilemmas of the DIT and moral judgement. Also little correlation was shown between action choices on 4 dilemmas of the DIT and ethical values. No significant correlation were found between moral judgement and nurse ethical values.

Key Words: moral judgement, ethical values, nursing student