HomeUNP Research Journalvol. 23 no. 1 (2014)

Moral Competence of Nursing Students in Lyceum of the Philippines University: Implications to Nursing Practice

Mario R. Marasigan

 

Abstract:

The study aimed to determine the nursing students’ moral competence in terms of loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, responsibility, discipline, honesty and respect for human values, dignity and rights, and analyzed its implications to nursing practice, and to propose a program towards the enhancement of moral competence of graduates. The study utilized the descriptive research design using 73 nursing students from levels I to IV as respondents. The participants were selected using convenience sampling, the data were gathered through a questionnaire-checklist constructed by the author and content validated by experts of the field. Weighted mean was used for data analysis.The findings show that student-nurses practicing in Batangas are morally competent in terms of loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, responsibility, discipline, honesty and respect for human values, dignity and rights. They understand the extent of their future roles and functions and will work in accordance to the standards of nursing practices. Based on this, it could be expected that these students will promote care for the welfare of their clients. Thus, the programs towards enhancement of nursing students’ understanding on patients’ conditions and circumstances specifically on the concept of suffering, empathy, acceptance and nursing students’ ability to provide a peaceful environment are essential for patients’ recovery. Developing a program on supportive patient modalities will enhance patient equanimity in health care delivery system.