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Table 1 General characteristics of participants (N = 171)

From: Nurses’ ethical decision-making during end of life care in South Korea: a cross-sectional descriptive survey

Variables

Categories

n (%)

Mean ± SD

Age (year)

20–29

79 (46.2)

33.3 ± 8.1

(years)

 

30–39

52 (30.4)

 
 

 ≥ 40

40 (23.4)

 

Gender

Male

9 (5.3)

 
 

Female

162 (94.7)

 

Marital status

Single

104 (60.8)

 
 

Married

67 (39.2)

 

Education (degree)

Bachelor’s degree or lower

151 (88.3)

 
 

Master’s degree or higher

20 (11.7)

 

Religion

Yes

89 (52.4)

 
 

No

81 (47.6)

 

Current clinical working area

Oncology/general/hospice Unit

81 (47.9)

 
 

Intensive care unit

88 (52.1)

 

Total clinical experience

1–3 years

27 (15.8)

9.9 ± 8.0

 

3–5 years

33 (19.3)

(years)

 

5–10 years

52 (30.4)

 
 

 > 10 years

59 (34.5)

 

Current department experience

1–3 years

47 (29.4)

5.7 ± 5.4 (years)

 

3–5 years

40 (25.0)

 
 

5–10 years

53 (33.1)

 
 

 > 10yrs

20 (12.5)

 

Experience in nursing ethics education

None

27 (15.9)

 
 

1–10 h

105(61.8)

 
 

 > 10 h

38 (22.4)

 

Type of nursing ethics education*

Continuing nursing education

59(34.5)

 
 

In-hospital education

94(55.0)

 
 

Academy/curriculum/others

18(10.5)

 
 

None

27(15.8)

 

Experience of an ethical dilemma (within a week)

Yes

48 (29.6)

 
 

No

114 (70.4)

 

Ethical decision support*

Colleagues

64(37.4)

 
 

Preceptor/charge nurse

116(67.8)

 
 

Nurse manager

36(21.1)

 
 

Others

3(1.8)

 

Job satisfaction (0–10 point)

1–3

8 (4.7)

6.4 ± 1.6

 

4–6

75 (43.9)

 
 

7–10

88 (51.5)

 

Ethical conflict (0–10 point)

1–3

18 (10.5)

5.8 ± 1.7

 

4–6

90 (52.6)

 
 

7–10

63 (36.8)

 
  1. *Multiple responses