Abstract
Purpose: Exploring ethics and moral values with newly licensed nurses (NLN) is a novel approach to addressing the application of healthcare ethics in ethical dilemmas across healthcare environments. Recent data trends and the literature indicates ethical and moral distress impacts the profession’s emotional stability (Berhie et al., 2020).
Background & Significance: Historically, the organization’s Registered Nurse Residency program covered ethics content during one session. An objective of the project was to increase opportunities for NLNs to explore their role in ethical dilemmas (American Nurses Association, 2015). A gap analysis including previous evaluation data revealed a need for frequent ethics discussions. Nurse ethicists joined the planning team to discuss weaving ethics discussions throughout the residency sessions. Ethics content provides support to NLNs experiencing moral distress while enhancing ethics knowledge and application to practice (Thomas et al., 2020).
Methods: The program content intentionally builds upon ethical concepts previously discussed. Ethics content is presented in a didactic format followed by open discussion to explore ethical impact on NLN’s professional practice (Arslan Yürümezoğlu et al., 2019). The program curriculum also includes communication content regarding caring for individuals and families experiencing end of life.
Outcomes: An evaluation tool measured the perceived impact of the sessions’ content with a 1-5 Likert scale, revealing an average score of 4.4. Evidence captured NLN’s perceptions of how ethical concepts influenced their approach to patient care.
A NLN shared “I never realized ethics was integral to my everyday work [and] how to apply what I learned about ethics in nursing school to my work at the bedside.”
Conclusions & Implications: Ethics content should be prioritized in the development process for NLNs. By discussing and applying ethics topics throughout the first year of one’s nursing career, NLNs are better able to understand, advocate for, and appreciate the importance of ethics in nursing (Doherty, 2021).
Notes
References:
American Nurses Association (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements (2nd ed.). American Nurses Association.
Arslan Yürümezoğlu, H., Kocaman, G. & Mert Haydari, S. (2019). Predicting nurses’ organizational and professional turnover intentions. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 16(3), 274-285. https://doi.org/10.1111/jjns.12236
Berhie, A.Y, Tezera, Z.B., & Azagew, A.W. (2020). Moral distress and its associated factors among nurses in northwest amhara regional state referral hospitals, northwest ethiopa. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 13, 161-167. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S234446
Doherty, R. E. (2021). Ethical dimensions on the health professions (7th ed.). Elsevier.
Thomas, T., Davis, D., Kumar, S., Thammasitboon, S., & Rushton, C. (2020). COVID-19 and moral distress: A pediatric critical care survey. American Journal of Critical Care, 30(6), 80–98. https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2021999
Sigma Membership
Alpha
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Academic-clinical Partnership, Ethics, Transition to Practice or Onboarding, Novice Nurses, Newly Licensed Nurses
Recommended Citation
Hodges, Kimberly and Dunagan, Kayla, "Ethics in Practice: Exploring Ethics and Values with Newly Licensed Nurses" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 91.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/91
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Ethics in Practice: Exploring Ethics and Values with Newly Licensed Nurses
Seattle, Washington, USA
Purpose: Exploring ethics and moral values with newly licensed nurses (NLN) is a novel approach to addressing the application of healthcare ethics in ethical dilemmas across healthcare environments. Recent data trends and the literature indicates ethical and moral distress impacts the profession’s emotional stability (Berhie et al., 2020).
Background & Significance: Historically, the organization’s Registered Nurse Residency program covered ethics content during one session. An objective of the project was to increase opportunities for NLNs to explore their role in ethical dilemmas (American Nurses Association, 2015). A gap analysis including previous evaluation data revealed a need for frequent ethics discussions. Nurse ethicists joined the planning team to discuss weaving ethics discussions throughout the residency sessions. Ethics content provides support to NLNs experiencing moral distress while enhancing ethics knowledge and application to practice (Thomas et al., 2020).
Methods: The program content intentionally builds upon ethical concepts previously discussed. Ethics content is presented in a didactic format followed by open discussion to explore ethical impact on NLN’s professional practice (Arslan Yürümezoğlu et al., 2019). The program curriculum also includes communication content regarding caring for individuals and families experiencing end of life.
Outcomes: An evaluation tool measured the perceived impact of the sessions’ content with a 1-5 Likert scale, revealing an average score of 4.4. Evidence captured NLN’s perceptions of how ethical concepts influenced their approach to patient care.
A NLN shared “I never realized ethics was integral to my everyday work [and] how to apply what I learned about ethics in nursing school to my work at the bedside.”
Conclusions & Implications: Ethics content should be prioritized in the development process for NLNs. By discussing and applying ethics topics throughout the first year of one’s nursing career, NLNs are better able to understand, advocate for, and appreciate the importance of ethics in nursing (Doherty, 2021).
Description
Exploring ethics and moral values with newly licensed nurses (NLN) is a novel approach to addressing the application of healthcare ethics and ethical dilemmas across healthcare environments. Attendees will gain knowledge of how applying ethical concepts in a residency program supports transition to practice.