Ethical Conflict in Clinical Education of Nursing Students: A Conceptual Analysis

Background: Ethical conflict is a complex concept referring to the inability to perform an ethical act or the failure to recognize the correct ethical course of action. Nursing students, similar to other healthcare team members, encounter numerous ethical conflicts during their clinical training. These conflicts encompass various aspects that underscore the significance of examining and analyzing this concept. Accordingly, the present study aimed to analyze the concept of ethical conflict in the clinical education of nursing students.Methods: This review study was conducted using a conceptual analysis approach based on the 8-step method proposed by Walker and Avant in 2023 to clarify the dimensions and characteristics of ethical conflict. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, SID, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ProQuest databases using a combination of keywords including ‘nursing’, ‘concept analysis’, ‘clinical education’, ‘dilemma’, ‘conflict’, ‘nursing student’, ‘concept’, ‘clinical practice’, ‘moral’, and ‘ethical’ without time limits. After reviewing 3023 articles, 23 relevant articles were selected and included in the results section of the study. This approach facilitated the identification of the characteristics, premises, and consequences of the concept.Results: The conflict between student rights and patient rights in education represents a notable concern. One of the prominent factors contributing to moral conflicts and low-quality clinical education is the inadequate development of students’ moral competence within an inappropriate learning setting.Conclusion: By clarifying the educational rights of students and the rights of patients, educational and medical administrators would be able to manage ethical conflicts. Thus, it is recommended to explore the strategies for managing ethical conflicts by analyzing the relevant experiences through both qualitative and quantitative studies.