Nursing students' ethical perpectives on assisting patients with eating and drinking

BackgroundAssisting patients with oral eating and drinking is a fundamental aspect of nursing activity, yet its ethical dimensions remain underexplored. This study addressed two key questions: (1) How do nursing students perceive the task of assisting patients with oral eating and drinking? (2) What ethical concerns do they encounter in this care?.Research designA qualitative descriptive approach using thematic analysis.Participants and contextForty-nine undergraduate nursing students with clinical experience from a single university in Brunei participated through online individual text-based interviews.Ethical considerationsThe study was approved by the University Research Ethics Committee. Participants provided digital informed consent.FindingsStudents highlighted the importance of preserving patient dignity through respectful and person-centred care, prioritising both verbal and non-verbal consent, and advocating for patients' needs. They expressed that advocating effectively for patients requires moral courage and professional responsibility. Three themes emerged: (1) carrying out respectful care, (2) making consent a priority, and (3) learning to speak up for patients.ConclusionsNursing students recognised that assisting patients with eating and drinking is an ethically significant practice requiring respectful care, attention to consent, and advocacy. Nursing education should strengthen ethical sensitivity and advocacy skills to prepare students for these responsibilities.