Comparative Study of Professional Ethics Curriculum of Undergraduate Nursing Programs in Ten Selected Nursing Schools (2016)

Extensive and rapid changes due to the emergence of new needs in healthcare centers have made nurses face a variety of ethical issues everyday. Nursing undergraduate graduates are expected to revise nursing care in the health system in accordance with ethical principles with their vision and ability. Obviously, the nursing education system plays a key role in shaping this process. One of the requirements of ethical skills training is the presence of a coherent and up-to-date curriculum in professional nursing ethics. The aim of this study was comparing the curriculums of professional ethics in the nursing undergraduate program in the top ten nursing schools of the world and Iran and providing suggested strategies for improving professional ethics in nursing based on community culture.
This study was conducted with the help of Bereday’s four-step method of comparative analysis (description – interpretation – juxtaposition – comparison). The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016 was employed to identify and select the top 10 nursing schools. The data collection tool was a researcher-made framework based on the curriculum components that was prepared and reviewed with the help of the supervisor and counselor professors. Content validity method was used to determine the validity of the data collection tool in this study
According to the findings, the educational strategies used to support learner’s experience of learning in the selected premier nursing schools were integration (9 faculties), student-centered (2faculties), community-centered (7 faculties), outcome-based, problem solving, and learning methods based on the needs of the community. In addition to assessing the knowledge of students through multiple-choice and written tests, their skills were also assessed by essay writing, practical work in the lab, case study, poster presentation, reflection, portfolio, continuous examination of practical skills, classroom activities, and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).
According to the results of this study, it is recommended to determine appropriate educational outcomes of the professional ethics curriculum according to the professional values, Islamic teachings and culture, and community needs; and to revise and tailor the content, manner of presentation, and method of education and assessment according to the identified outcomes.