The Impacts of Nursing Student’s Moral Sensitivity and Ethical Decision Making Confidence on Caring Efficacy

This study aimed to determine the level of moral sensitivity and ethical decision-making confidence among nursing students and their impact on the caring efficacy. Data were collected from 160 third and fourth-year students at three nursing colleges located in J Province from November 14 to 23, 2023. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS/WIN 26.0, utilizing descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression. Nursing students' moral sensitivity was 5.15 ± 0.61 out of 7, ethical decision-making confidence was 3.37 ± 0.51 out of 5, and caring efficacy was 4.17 ± 0.58 out of 6. In an analysis to confirm the influencing factors of caring efficacy, religion (β=0.13, p=.037), satisfaction of clinical practice (β=0.12, p=.024), moral sensitivity (β=0.19, p=.027), ethical decision-making confidence (β=0.60, p<.001) were confirmed as influential factors, with an explanatory power of 46.8%. Therefore, to enhance nursing students' caring efficacy, it is essential to create educational content that can improve their moral sensitivity and boost their ethical decisions making confidence.