Influence of empathy and professional values on ethical decision-making of emergency nurses: A cross sectional study

Emergency nurses are likely to experience serious ethical dilemmas and conflicts because of the dangerous and unpredictable care situations. Nursing ethical decision-making ability is therefore a core competence. Empathy and professional values may be the important variables that influence ethical decision-making. However, for emergency nurses, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support presently. This study aimed to explore the influence of empathy and professional values on nursing ethical decision-making of emergency nurses.

A convenience sample of 236 emergency nurses from 10 general hospitals in China were surveyed. Their ethical decision-making ability, empathy and professional values were measured using the Judgment About Nursing Decision scale, Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professionals, and Nursing Professional Values Scale-Revised, respectively. Additionally, their sociodemographic data were collected. Univariate analysis, Pearson analysis, and multiple linear regression were performed.

The mean ethical decision-making score of emergency nurses was 295.06 ± 26.49, which was medium level. Their average ethical choice score was higher than that of ethical action (P < 0.001). The multiple linear regression results showed that professional values (Standardized coefficients (β) = 0.295, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.618-1.618), empathy (β = 0.210, 95% CI: 0.620-1.613), job title (β = 0.253, 95% CI: 0.357-2.800) and number of forms of in-service training on ethical decision-making (β = 0.243, 95% CI: 0.254-3.942) were the independent factors significantly influencing the ethical decision-making ability. The multivariate linear regression model had an F statistic of 32.153 (P < 0.001) and an R² = 0.588.

Strengthening nurses' empathy and professional values can help nurses make ethical decisions. More clinical experience and in-service training on ethical decision-making can help emergency nurses better handle ethical dilemmas and conflicts.