Professional Moral Sensitivity in Nursing: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Influence of Demographic Characteristics among Saudi Undergraduate Nursing Students

Darin Mansor Mathkor, Department of Nursing, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan-82911, Saudi ArabiaFollow

Abstract

Background: Ethics education is essential in healthcare, where professionals often face complex ethical dilemmas. Its main goal is to cultivate moral awareness and reasoning skills, which are vital for making sound ethical decisions.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the moral sensitivity of undergraduate Saudi nursing students and examine its correlation with their demographic characteristics.
Methods: The modified Moral-Sensitivity-Questionnaire, comprising 27 items, was administered to Saudi undergraduate nursing students using an online Google Form as part of a cross-sectional study that also collected demographic data.
Results: Among 396 undergraduate Saudi nursing students, 54.5% were female, and 72.7% were in clinical years. The overall moral sensitivity score was 4.8 out of 7. The highest mean score was for ``patient-centered nursing'' (5.8 ± 1.8), and the lowest for ``expression of good deeds'' (4.4 ± 1.4). Higher levels of moral sensitivity were observed among non-clinical year students (p = 0.01), those with healthcare-related family members (p < 0.001), and students whose fathers held a bachelor's degree or higher (p = 0.006). Male students scored higher in ``experience of conflict'' (p = 0.015) and ``constructing moral meaning'' (p = 0.001), while rural students scored higher in ``patient-centered care'' (p = 0.03) and lower in ``professional responsibility'' (p = 0.03), without affecting overall moral sensitivity scores.
Conclusions: The study found that Saudi undergraduate nursing students demonstrated moderate moral sensitivity. It emphasized the influence of education and the family environment in shaping this trait, highlighting the need for targeted ethics education programs to enhance professional moral sensitivity and improve ethical decision-making skills among nursing students.

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Recommended Citation

Mathkor, Darin Mansor (2026) "Professional Moral Sensitivity in Nursing: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Influence of Demographic Characteristics among Saudi Undergraduate Nursing Students," Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Medical Sciences: Vol. 33: Iss. 1, Article 3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64064/1658-4279.1031