Moral and Professional Values of Nurses in Lebanon

Background: Moral and professional values vary among cultures. The purpose of this study was to explore the moral and professional values of registered nurses at a university medical center in a Middle Eastern country and determine the relationship among formal ethics education, background variables (age, gender, nursing degree, regular daily prayer), and nurses' professional and moral values. Method: A cross-sectional survey method with 123 nurses was used. Data on background variables, moral and professional values, and confidence in ethical decision-making were assessed. Results: Professional values were significantly higher among older nurses and nurses with master's degrees compared with younger nurses and nurses with bachelor's degrees. Daily prayer was related to higher mean scores for moral values. Nurses were confident in their ethical decision-making; however, formal education in ethics did not influence professional or moral values. Conclusion: Although formal education in ethics did not influence the professional or moral values of nurses in Lebanon, this finding does not negate the need for future studies to investigate the content and duration of ethics education that is likely to affect professional or moral values.

Automated summary

The study found that older nurses and nurses with master's degrees had higher professional values, while daily prayer was associated with moral values. Additionally, nurses were confident in their ethical decision-making, but formal ethics education did not influence their professional or moral values.