Effective interventions for improvement of moral sensitivity among nursing students: A systematic review

Abstract

The present research was carried out to look into the optimal interventions for raising moral sensitivity in nursing students. International electronic databases like Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched systematically from the earliest date to August 2, 2022, via keywords like "Morals", "Moral sensitivity", "Ethical sensitivity", and "Nursing students". Additionally, Iranian databases like Iranmedex were looked up. Randomized control trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies' quality was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute's (JBI) critical assessment checklist. A total of 756 nursing students were enrolled in nine studies. Of the nursing students, 54.87% were female and 70.63% were in the intervention group. The mean age of participants was 22.83 (SD=1.31) years. Mean study duration, intervention, and follow-up were 10, 5.41, and 6.68 weeks, respectively. It was shown that “education based on the visual, auditory, kinaesthetic (VAK) model”, “the spirituality training sessions”, “case-based method of education”, “the spirituality training sessions”, “nursing codes of ethics lecture”, and “the spiritual care training sessions” were enhanced moral sensitivity. Additionally, the “professional nursing practice course”, “nursing ethics education”, and “debate-based ethics education”, did not affect the nursing students' moral sensitivity. It is recommended that university administrators and policymakers plan and implement appropriate educational initiatives with moral and spiritual content in the form of educational workshops.