Nurses' knowledge and related factors towards professional ethics: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the nurses' knowledge and related factors towards professional ethics. This cross-sectional study was carried out among nurses from Guilan University of Medical Sciences in Rasht, Iran. The research employed a systematic stratified random sampling method to select its samples. Data collection was conducted using a three-part instrument, consisting of questionnaires addressing demographic information. Moreover, the tool gauged participants' knowledge of professional ethics and their adherence to these principles. A total of 354 nurses participated in the present study. The nurses had an average age of 34.7 (SD=8.1) years. The average score of knowledge of professional ethics in nurses was 89.14 (SD=15.3) and the average score of compliance with ethical aspects was 105.20 (SD=56.16). Also, 92.4% of the research samples had good ethical knowledge. In terms of the status of compliance with aspects of professional ethics, 83.9% of the research samples had favorable compliance status. Also, the average score of knowledge of professional ethics and compliance with ethical aspects in nurses had a positive and significant correlation with each other (r=0.424, P=0.001). Therefore, while underscoring the significance of educational interventions aimed at enhancing the knowledge base of practicing nurses, there is potential to strategize actions aimed at advancing both the knowledge level and ethical compliance within the nursing realm. These efforts can play a pivotal role in averting moral dilemmas and conflicts experienced by nurses.