A study of the relationship between ethical sensitivity and emotional intelligence in nursing, anesthesia, and operating room students

Abstract

When providing healthcare services, healthcare students face a variety of ethical issues and conflicts daily. Such characteristics as ethical sensitivity and emotional intelligence are influential in determining an individual’s performance and can prove useful in coping with challenges in life. Given the significance of these two variables in the career prospects and educational and professional lives of students, the present cross-sectional study with 486 students majoring in nursing, operating room, and anesthesia, aims to investigate the relationship between ethical sensitivity and emotional intelligence. Data were collected using demographics, ethical sensitivity, and emotional intelligence. The students’ ethical sensitivity level was high, while their emotional intelligence was average. Regression analysis revealed that students’ ethical sensitivity was related to their emotional intelligence and gender. There is also a significant correlation between ethical sensitivity and emotional intelligence on one hand and gender on the other: female students possess higher levels of ethical sensitivity, while male students have greater emotional intelligence. Students in nursing schools may benefit from greater insight into the concepts of ethical sensitivity and emotional intelligence and ways to enhance them.