Nursing students' experience of ethical problems and use of ethical decision-making models

Using a conceptual framework and method combining ethical enquiry and pheno menology, we asked 73 senior baccalaureate nursing students to answer two q uestions: (1) What is nursing students' experience of an ethical problem in volving nursing practice? and (2) What is nursing students' experience of u sing an ethical decision-making model? Each student described one ethical p roblem, from which emerged five content categories, the largest being that involving health professionals (44%). The basic nature of the ethical probl ems consisted of the nursing students' experience of conflict, resolution a nd rationale; 85% of the students stated that using an ethical decision-mak ing model was helpful. Although additional research is needed, these findin gs have important implications for nursing ethics education and practice.