Objectives: With rapid advancements in medical care, nurses are confronted with ethical issues on a daily basis. If new nurses are introduced to the clinical setting without having acquired sufficient ethical judgment skills in basic nursing education, they are unable to respond to the ethical dilemmas they face. This results in learned helplessness, which can lead to burnout and turnover. Therefore, it is imperative to develop educational programs where there is a natural progression from basic to continuing nursing. Therefore, in this study, we conducted a nationwide survey using the Nursing Student Care Ethical Competence Scale to present a benchmark for the assessment of this skill and facilitate continuity in nursing education. Methods: From February to March 2019, we conducted a questionnaire survey of 4930 final-year nursing students enrolled in nursing colleges, junior colleges, and technical schools nationwide. The survey consisted of 29 items on ethical behavior, 26 items on ethics knowledge, and seven items on personal attributes. For the analysis, we calculated percentiles for the five standards of nursing students’ ethical care competence: safe care provision, respecting self-determination, protecting personal information, providing the best care, and upholding patients’ dignity. Results: Responses were obtained from 1505 nursing students (collection rate 30.5%, valid response rate 30.5%). The 80th percentile (minimum value-maximum value) was 128 (38 - 145) points for the ethical competence of nursing students, 37 (11 - 40) points for safe care provision, 28 (4 - 31) points for respect for self-determination, 23 (5 - 25) points for protection of personal information, 23 (5 - 25) points for best care provision, and 13 (3 - 15) points for respect for personal dignity. Discussion: The 80th percentile was established as the benchmark for ethical care competence. Conclusion: Based on these criteria, nursing students can objectively assess their ethical behavior, allowing them to understand their strengths and weaknesses, articulate their challenges, and learn autonomously.
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