Developing care behaviors and ethical attitude in nursing education

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to determine the effect of education based on the Theory of Human Caring on nursing students' caring behaviors and ethical attitudes. Background: It is crucial to plan nursing education holistically, addressing cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains for the comprehensive development of caring behaviors and ethical attitudes. Design: This study employed a convergent mixed-methods approach with randomized pretest-posttest comparisons and qualitative analysis. Methods: This study was conducted with third-year nursing students at a state university in Ankara, Turkey, in 2021. It comprised a total of 95 participants, with 47 students in the case group and 48 students in the video group. Theoretical education based on the Theory of Human Caring was simultaneously provided to both groups. Following this, one group received practical training using a video-supported teaching method, while the other group received it through a case analysis method. The research used the 'Descriptive Characteristics Form', 'Caring Nurse Patient Interaction Scale (CNPIS)', 'Scale for Attitudes of Ethical Principles (SAEP)' and 'Student Opinion Form on Care Behaviors Education' to collect data. Quantitative data were analyzed using t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, Wilcoxon paired two-sample tests and Linear Regression Analysis, with a significance level of p<0.05. Qualitative data were evaluated through document analysis. Permissions were obtained before the research. Results: After the education provided, significant differences were found between the pre-test and post-test scores of both groups (p<0.05). It was determined that there was a statistically significant, positive and generally moderate relationship between the caring behaviors and ethical attitudes of the students. Additionally, participating students reported that they were satisfied with the education provided, stating that the teaching methods increased their motivation and positively influenced their perspectives on caring and its ethical dimensions. Conclusions: The research findings show significant improvements in nursing students' care behaviors and ethical attitudes following education based on the Human Care Theory, with both case analysis and video-supported teaching methods yielding notable results. Integration of care theories into the nursing undergraduate curriculum, alongside the use of holistic teaching methods, is recommended, along with further randomized controlled trials to assess teaching effectiveness.