A Case-Centered Approach to Nursing Ethics Education: A Qualitative Study

Nurses deal with ethical decisions as they protect patients’ rights, but a consensus on effective approaches to nursing ethics education is lacking. The “four topics” method can facilitate decision-making when nurses experience ethical dilemmas in practice. This study aimed to describe nursing students’ perspectives on and experiences of a case-centered approach to nursing ethics education using the four topics method. This qualitative study consisted of two phases. First, we delivered case-centered nursing ethics education sessions to nursing students using the four topics method. Then, we conducted two focus group discussions that explored students’ perspectives on and experiences of nursing ethics education. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Four themes were identified: the importance of ethics education as perceived by nursing students, problems in current nursing ethics education, the experience of case-centered nursing ethics education using the four topics approach, and suggestions for improving nursing ethics education. The case-centered approach using the four topics method is effective in enhancing nursing students’ nursing ethics ability. It is crucial to understand that nursing students would like to set up their own ethical standards and philosophy. Continuous efforts to encourage students’ participation and to provide ethical reflection opportunities during clinical practice are needed to better connect theory with clinical practice.