Journal of Health And Care
Volume 27, Issue 1 (spring 2025)
JHC 2025, 27(1): 21-30 |
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Ethics code: IR.UMSHA.REC.1396.546
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Fotoohi V, Sadeghi N, azizi A, Sharifi Kelarijani A. The Impact of Ethical Code Education through Reflective education on the Ethical Performance of Nurses Working in Intensive Care Units: A Quasi-Experimental Study. JHC 2025; 27 (1) :21-30
URL: http://hcjournal.arums.ac.ir/article-1-1623-en.html
URL: http://hcjournal.arums.ac.ir/article-1-1623-en.html
Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
Abstract: (77 Views)
Background: Adhering to professional codes of ethics is one of the most important ethical responsibilities of nurses. Therefore, enhancing awareness and attitudes towards nursing ethical codes is deemed necessary. Reflective practice is an active learning method that can contribute to professional ethics education for nurses and help instill these principles in clinical practice. The present study aimed to determine the impact of ethical code education through reflective education on the ethical performance of nurses working in intensive care units.
Methods: This two-group quasi-experimental study was conducted on 80 nurses working in intensive care units at teaching hospitals in Hamedan City. The samples were selected using convenience sampling method and assigned to two control and training groups by simple randomization. Demographic data and self-reported compliance with ethical codes in intensive care units were collected before and two months after the intervention. The control group received no intervention, while the experimental group underwent three educational sessions using ethical scenarios through reflective practice. The nurses in the experimental group were asked to assess their ethical performance using ethical codes for three weeks after each shift. Data normality was assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 21 with chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, independent t-test, and paired t-test.
Results: Before the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference in the mean scores of ethical code adherence between the experimental and control groups. However, after the intervention, this difference became statistically significant (p<0.001), indicating that ethical code adherence in the experimental group had increased compared to the control group.
Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that reflective education leads to increased adherence to ethical codes in clinical practice, and consequently enhancing the ethical performance in nurses. Therefore, it is recommended to incorporate this educational method in nursing continuous education courses to improve their ethical performance.
Methods: This two-group quasi-experimental study was conducted on 80 nurses working in intensive care units at teaching hospitals in Hamedan City. The samples were selected using convenience sampling method and assigned to two control and training groups by simple randomization. Demographic data and self-reported compliance with ethical codes in intensive care units were collected before and two months after the intervention. The control group received no intervention, while the experimental group underwent three educational sessions using ethical scenarios through reflective practice. The nurses in the experimental group were asked to assess their ethical performance using ethical codes for three weeks after each shift. Data normality was assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 21 with chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, independent t-test, and paired t-test.
Results: Before the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference in the mean scores of ethical code adherence between the experimental and control groups. However, after the intervention, this difference became statistically significant (p<0.001), indicating that ethical code adherence in the experimental group had increased compared to the control group.
Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that reflective education leads to increased adherence to ethical codes in clinical practice, and consequently enhancing the ethical performance in nurses. Therefore, it is recommended to incorporate this educational method in nursing continuous education courses to improve their ethical performance.
Type of Study: randomized clinical trial |
Subject:
Nursing education
Received: 2025/01/24 | Accepted: 2025/05/16 | Published: 2025/03/30
Received: 2025/01/24 | Accepted: 2025/05/16 | Published: 2025/03/30
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