Factors associated with ethical competence in nurses and nursing students: A narrative review

Ethics is a fundamental competency in the healthcare field. Ethical competence in nurses is essential for effective nursing practice, as it facilitates the delivery of high-quality care to patients. To foster ethical competence in nurses, it is crucial to identify and promote the factors that positively influence it. Therefore, enhancing the ethical competence of both practicing nurses and nursing students is essential to maintaining high-quality, ethical standards and ensuring sustainable healthcare. This integrative literature review aims to identify the key factors that contribute to the development of ethical competence among nurses and nursing students. Research on factors influencing the enhancement of ethical competence in practicing nurses and nursing students is limited and has primarily employed descriptive research designs. Factors associated with ethical competence in nurses were categorized into two major groups: (1) human factors, comprising four subcategories—individual, social, managerial, and professional factors—with ten associated subthemes; and (2) structural factors, including educational, environmental, organizational, and sociocultural categories, with eight associated subthemes. This review provides valuable insights into the factors that promote ethical competence in nurses and nursing students, offering guidance for researchers, nursing educators, administrators, organizations, and policymakers.