Effective intervention measures to improve the ethical sensitivity of nurses and nursing students

The aim of this study is to explore and integrate educational measures and teaching methods designed to enhance ethical sensitivity, with the goal of developing a cohesive and practical reference framework for nursing administrators and educators.

In recent years, ethical sensitivity has garnered increasing attention. While many intervention studies addressing ethical sensitivity have been conducted, there is currently no systematic review that consolidates and integrates the various intervention strategies and teaching methods.

This study is a systematic review.

In this systematic review, relevant studies were retrieved from the PubMed, EBSCO, Cochrane, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science databases, covering the period from the inception of these databases through December 2024. The quality of the quasi-experimental studies and randomized controlled trials were assessed the Joanna Briggs Institute's (JBI) Critical Evaluation Checklist. Finally, the findings were synthesized through qualitative analysis to identify key themes.

A total of 25 studies were included in this study. Three themes were identified: theoretical foundations of ethics, clinical ethics, cultural ethics. In terms of teaching methodologies, the findings suggest that student-centered approaches are more effective than traditional teaching methods in enhancing ethical sensitivity.

Currently, the content of ethical sensitivity education remains fragmented. It is recommended that future curricula incorporate two additional topics: the ethics of science and technology and the ethics of public health. Furthermore, adopting a collaborative, team-based approach and integrating new teaching technologies are proposed as effective strategies to enhance ethical sensitivity.