Moral sensitivity and prosocial behavior predict the career adaptability in first-year nursing and midwifery...

Career adaptability is essential for first-year nursing and midwifery students to effectively manage career transition and development, therefore it is crucial to identify its predictive factors.

This study aims to explore the role of moral sensitivity and prosocial behavior in predicting career adaptability among first-year nursing and midwifery students.

This study is a longitudinal design. A total of 605 first-year nursing and midwifery students were recruited through convenience sampling from December 2023 to June 2024 at a medical university in eastern China. Data were collected at baseline (T1) and again at a 6-month follow-up (T2). Generalized linear models and restricted cubic spline models were used to explore both linear and nonlinear relationships between career adaptability and the predictors of moral sensitivity and prosocial behavior.

The generalized linear model results indicated that prosocial behavior at T1, T2, and △T was a significant predictor of career adaptability. The restricted cubic spline analysis revealed that moral sensitivity and prosocial behavior at T1, T2, and △T all exhibited nonlinear relationships with career adaptability.

The study showed that both moral sensitivity and prosocial behavior are significant predictors of career adaptability. Nursing and midwifery educators can take action to further enhance their career adaptability through measures such as developing prosocial behavior and increasing moral sensitivity.