. 2021 Jul 16;22:94. doi: 10.1186/s12910-021-00665-9

Table 3.

Differences of moral sensitivity and ethical decision-making by general characteristics of the participants

Variables	Categories (n)	Moral sensitivity	Ethical decision-making	Sub-dimensions of ethical decision-making
Age (year)	≤ 29 (79)^a 30–39 (52)^b ≥ 40(40)^c	123.8 ± 13.5 125.8 ± 12.6 128.1 ± 14.5	0.246	249.3 ± 28.5 251.4 ± 26.2 265.1 ± 23	0.008 a = b < c	142.4 ± 16.3 144.0 ± 14.0 149.2 ± 11.9	0.057	45.6 ± 7.5 46.7 ± 7.0 50.4 ± 7.6	0.004 a < c	61.3 ± 9.6 60.7 ± 8.9 65.5 ± 8.2	0.025 b < c
Gender	Male (9) Female (162)	122.8 ± 7.9 125.5 ± 13.7	0.551	245.9 ± 24.1 254.0 ± 27.5	0.386	140.1 ± 11.2 144.7 ± 15.0	0.367	44.8 ± 5.5 47.2 ± 7.7	0.360	61.0 ± 11.1 62.1 ± 9.1	0.717
Marital status	Single (104) Married (67)	123.8 ± 12.0 127.9 ± 15.3	0.067	249.2 ± 28.3 260.5 ± 24.4	0.008	142.1 ± 15.6 148.1 ± 12.9	0.009	46.0 ± 7.4 48.7 ± 7.6	0.022	61.1 ± 9.4 63.7 ± 8.8	0.074
Education (degree)	BSN or lower (151) MSN or higher (20)	125.3 ± 13.5 126.1 ± 14.0	0.805	252.7 ± 26.6 260.7 ± 32.5	0.217	144.0 ± 14.9 148.2 ± 14.7	0.228	46.8 ± 7.1 48.9 ± 10.4	0.390	61.9 ± 9.1 63.5 ± 10.2	0.452
Religion	Yes (89) No (81)	126.3 ± 13.7 124.6 ± 13.3	0.430	255.1 ± 28.5 252.6 ± 25.6	0.537	145.5 ± 14.7 143.8 ± 14.5	0.437	47.1 ± 8.1 47.0 ± 7.0	0.890	62.5 ± 9.3 61.8 ± 9.1	0.637
Current clinical department	Oncology/general/hospice Unit (81) Intensive Care Unit (88)	127.5 ± 13.5 123.7 ± 13.4	0.067	260.7 ± 28.6 247.2 ± 24.8	0.001	148.0 ± 14.7 141.2 ± 14.4	0.003	48.3 ± 8.6 45.8 ± 6.3	0.034	64.3 ± 9.1 60.1 ± 8.9	0.003
Total clinical experience (yrs)	1–5 years (60)^a 5–10 years (52)^b > 10 years (59) ^c	123.4 ± 13.0 126.0 ± 13.8 126.9 ± 13.8	0.347	249.5 ± 28.2 248.9 ± 28.0 261.9 ± 24.2	0.015 a = b < c	142.5 ± 16.0 142.1 ± 15.5 148.6 ± 12.2	0.030 a = b = c	46.0 ± 7.3 45.5 ± 7.0 49.5 ± 7.8	0.007 a = b < c	61.0 ± 9.4 61.4 ± 9.9 63.8 ± 8.3	0.223
Current department experience (yrs)	0–5 years (96) 5–10 years (53) > 10 years (20)	124.6 ± 13.0 126.0 ± 14.1 126.0 ± 14.1	0.790	251.9 ± 28.1 253.9 ± 28.8 260.8 ± 17.1	0.412	143.6 ± 15.0 144.8 ± 15.9 148.2 ± 10.4	0.438	46.7 ± 7.7 46.8 ± 7.9 49.2 ± 5.7	0.382	61.6 ± 9.7 62.2 ± 9.3 63.3 ± 6.6	0.725
Experience in nursing ethics education	None (27)^a 1–10 h (105)^b > 10 h (38)^c	123.7 ± 11.2 124.1 ± 13.0 130.2 ± 15.5	0.041 b < c	237.6 ± 19.7 251.2 ± 27.6 270.5 ± 21.8	< 0.001 a < b < c	137.0 ± 12.2 143.8 ± 15.6 151.2 ± 11.4	< 0.001 a = b < c	43.0 ± 4.7 45.9 ± 7.2 52.6 ± 7.3	< 0.001 a = b < c	57.5 ± 7.2 61.5 ± 9.7 66.8 ± 7.0	< 0.001 a = b < c
Experience of ethical dilemma
(within a week)	Yes (48) No (114)	130.7 ± 15.1 123.7 ± 12.3	0.002	256.4 ± 27.8 252.7 ± 27.3	0.436	144.2 ± 15.5 144.4 ± 14.9	0.933	48.3 ± 7.5 46.8 ± 7.6	0.231	63.9 ± 9.2 61.6 ± 8.9	0.131
Job satisfaction	1–3 (8)^a 4–6 (75)^b 7–10 (88)^c	123.1 ± 5.9 123.1 ± 12.5 127.6 ± 14.5	0.088	240.1 ± 26.2 244.8 ± 27.9 262.4 ± 24.1	< 0.001 b < c	138.8 ± 15.3 139.9 ± 16.6 148.9 ± 11.7	< 0.001 b < c	41.6 ± 6.6 45.8 ± 6.8 48.6 ± 7.9	0.007 a < c	59.8 ± 9.1 59.1 ± 9.2 64.8 ± 8.5	< 0.001 b < c
Ethical conflict score	1–3 (18)^a 4–6 (90)^b 7–10 (63)^c	121.1 ± 11.3 121.1 ± 11.6 132.8 ± 13.6	< 0.001 a = b < c	268.1 ± 20.4 245.1 ± 29.1 261.6 ± 22.1	< 0.001 b < a = c	154.2 ± 11.4 140.6 ± 16.1 147.2 ± 11.8	< 0.001 b < a = c	47.6 ± 7.1 45.4 ± 7.5 49.2 ± 7.3	0.008 b < c	66.2 ± 5.8 59.1 ± 9.5 65.2 ± 8.1	< 0.001 b < a = c

Variables

Categories (n)

Moral sensitivity

Ethical decision-making

Sub-dimensions of ethical decision-making

Professional accountability

Moral reasoning/moral agency

Moral practice

Mean ± SD

Age (year)

≤ 29 (79)^a

30–39 (52)^b

≥ 40(40)^c

123.8 ± 13.5

125.8 ± 12.6

128.1 ± 14.5

0.246

249.3 ± 28.5

251.4 ± 26.2

265.1 ± 23

0.008

a = b < c

142.4 ± 16.3

144.0 ± 14.0

149.2 ± 11.9

0.057

45.6 ± 7.5

46.7 ± 7.0

50.4 ± 7.6

0.004

a < c

61.3 ± 9.6

60.7 ± 8.9

65.5 ± 8.2

0.025

b < c

Gender

Male (9)

Female (162)

122.8 ± 7.9

125.5 ± 13.7

0.551

245.9 ± 24.1

254.0 ± 27.5

0.386

140.1 ± 11.2

144.7 ± 15.0

0.367

44.8 ± 5.5

47.2 ± 7.7

0.360

61.0 ± 11.1

62.1 ± 9.1

0.717

Marital status

Single (104)

Married (67)

123.8 ± 12.0

127.9 ± 15.3

0.067

249.2 ± 28.3

260.5 ± 24.4

0.008

142.1 ± 15.6

148.1 ± 12.9

0.009

46.0 ± 7.4

48.7 ± 7.6

0.022

61.1 ± 9.4

63.7 ± 8.8

0.074

Education (degree)

BSN or lower (151)

MSN or higher (20)

125.3 ± 13.5

126.1 ± 14.0

0.805

252.7 ± 26.6

260.7 ± 32.5

0.217

144.0 ± 14.9

148.2 ± 14.7

0.228

46.8 ± 7.1

48.9 ± 10.4

0.390

61.9 ± 9.1

63.5 ± 10.2

0.452

Religion

Yes (89)

No (81)

126.3 ± 13.7

124.6 ± 13.3

0.430

255.1 ± 28.5

252.6 ± 25.6

0.537

145.5 ± 14.7

143.8 ± 14.5

0.437

47.1 ± 8.1

47.0 ± 7.0

0.890

62.5 ± 9.3

61.8 ± 9.1

0.637

Current clinical department

Oncology/general/hospice Unit (81)

Intensive Care Unit (88)

127.5 ± 13.5

123.7 ± 13.4

0.067

260.7 ± 28.6

247.2 ± 24.8

0.001

148.0 ± 14.7

141.2 ± 14.4

0.003

48.3 ± 8.6

45.8 ± 6.3

0.034

64.3 ± 9.1

60.1 ± 8.9

0.003

Total clinical experience (yrs)

1–5 years (60)^a

5–10 years (52)^b

> 10 years (59) ^c

123.4 ± 13.0

126.0 ± 13.8

126.9 ± 13.8

0.347

249.5 ± 28.2

248.9 ± 28.0

261.9 ± 24.2

0.015

a = b < c

142.5 ± 16.0

142.1 ± 15.5

148.6 ± 12.2

0.030

a = b = c

46.0 ± 7.3

45.5 ± 7.0

49.5 ± 7.8

0.007

a = b < c

61.0 ± 9.4

61.4 ± 9.9

63.8 ± 8.3

0.223

Current department experience (yrs)

0–5 years (96)

5–10 years (53)

> 10 years (20)

124.6 ± 13.0

126.0 ± 14.1

0.790

251.9 ± 28.1

253.9 ± 28.8

260.8 ± 17.1

0.412

143.6 ± 15.0

144.8 ± 15.9

148.2 ± 10.4

0.438

46.7 ± 7.7

46.8 ± 7.9

49.2 ± 5.7

0.382

61.6 ± 9.7

62.2 ± 9.3

63.3 ± 6.6

0.725

Experience in nursing ethics education

None (27)^a

1–10 h (105)^b

> 10 h (38)^c

123.7 ± 11.2

124.1 ± 13.0

130.2 ± 15.5

0.041

b < c

237.6 ± 19.7

251.2 ± 27.6

270.5 ± 21.8

< 0.001

a < b < c

137.0 ± 12.2

143.8 ± 15.6

151.2 ± 11.4

< 0.001

a = b < c

43.0 ± 4.7

45.9 ± 7.2

52.6 ± 7.3

< 0.001

a = b < c

57.5 ± 7.2

61.5 ± 9.7

66.8 ± 7.0

< 0.001

a = b < c

Experience of ethical dilemma

(within a week)

Yes (48)

No (114)

130.7 ± 15.1

123.7 ± 12.3

0.002

256.4 ± 27.8

252.7 ± 27.3

0.436

144.2 ± 15.5

144.4 ± 14.9

0.933

48.3 ± 7.5

46.8 ± 7.6

0.231

63.9 ± 9.2

61.6 ± 8.9

0.131

Job satisfaction

1–3 (8)^a

4–6 (75)^b

7–10 (88)^c

123.1 ± 5.9

123.1 ± 12.5

127.6 ± 14.5

0.088

240.1 ± 26.2

244.8 ± 27.9

262.4 ± 24.1

< 0.001

b < c

138.8 ± 15.3

139.9 ± 16.6

148.9 ± 11.7

< 0.001

b < c

41.6 ± 6.6

45.8 ± 6.8

48.6 ± 7.9

0.007

a < c

59.8 ± 9.1

59.1 ± 9.2

64.8 ± 8.5

< 0.001

b < c

Ethical conflict score

1–3 (18)^a

4–6 (90)^b

7–10 (63)^c

121.1 ± 11.3

121.1 ± 11.6

132.8 ± 13.6

< 0.001

a = b < c

268.1 ± 20.4

245.1 ± 29.1

261.6 ± 22.1

< 0.001

b < a = c

154.2 ± 11.4

140.6 ± 16.1

147.2 ± 11.8

< 0.001

b < a = c

47.6 ± 7.1

45.4 ± 7.5

49.2 ± 7.3

0.008

b < c

66.2 ± 5.8

59.1 ± 9.5

65.2 ± 8.1

< 0.001

b < a = c