ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Soltanzadeh   V. (*)
Amrahi   A. (1)
Esm Hosseini   Gh.R. (2 )






(*) Educational Sciences Department, Literature & Human Sciences Faculty, Oromiye University, Oromiye, Iran
(1) Educational Sciences Department, Literature & Human Sciences Faculty, Oromiye University, Oromiye, Iran
(2 ) Islamic Studies Department, Medical Sciences Faculty, Oromiye University of Medical Sciences, Oromiye, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Literature & Human Sciences Faculty, Oromiye University, Opposite the Radio & Television Center, Valfajr 2 Boulevard, Oromiye, Iran
Phone: +984413678162
Fax: +988317266820
vahid.soltanzadeh@gmail.com

Article History

Received:  September  2, 2013
Accepted:  November 24, 2013
ePublished:  March 17, 2014

BRIEF TEXT


Growth in the higher education causes a high sensitiveness to its quality [1]. Providing the exact definitions for management’s principles is necessary [2, 3]. Nowadays, organization ethics are considered crucial and the universities need to plan the related curriculum [4, 5]. Observance of ethical standards by the lecturers can provide a high level of satisfaction among students [6]. Ethics refers to principles and values [7, 8], and professional ethics can be regarded as professional competency [9]. Professional ethics is moral and ethical obligation to any kind of work, duties and responsibilities [10]. Professional ethics is determined by the organizations to provide the most desirable possible social communications among their members [11], and it aims to accept ethical responsibility in terms of the job [12]. Professional ethics is a rule which must be obeyed during work voluntarily [13]. Therefore, professional ethics forms a framework that can act as a guide to response to questions about ethical behavior [14, 15]. The more observance of professional ethics means a higher commitment to its principles [16]. Observance of ethical principles can ensure teaching-learning processes in the universities and result in the commitment to accountability of the faculty members towards the students’ needs [17]. Ethics can be observed in sub-systems as well [18]. … [19]. Paying attention to the academics’ behavior and performance especially professional ethics is crucial as their activities affects other organizations directly and indirectly. [20, 21]. Politicians, managers and planners in higher education can adopt proper strategies to reduce the gap between current and desired strategies in this field and to improve such standards, if they find out the situation of ethical standards in the Iranian academic system [6].

Despite the fact that there are needs for compilation the standards of professional ethics [19], only few studies have been conducted in Iran, regarding medical universities especially.

The aim of this study was to evaluate professional ethics of the faculty members from the nursing students’ viewpoints.

The method is descriptive survey.

Undergraduate and graduate nursing students of Orumieh Medical University were studied during 2013 academic year.

Sample volume was estimated according to volume of the population, using Cochran's formula. 104 persons of the 382 undergraduate and graduate nursing students were selected, using stratified random sampling method commensurate with the volume of each of the educational levels.

The used questionnaire consisted two parts including “personal characteristics of the students” and “professional ethics questions”. 22 items were provided to evaluate ‘professional capabilities’ (7 questions), ‘respect and commitment to students’ (10 questions), ‘respect and commitment to colleagues’ (2 questions) and ‘respect and commitment to the organization’ (3 questions) components. These items were provided, based on Likert’s five-degree scale, and were contained in the standard questionnaire for professional ethics. Data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software, using One-sample T (to compare the average of the sample with the average of society) and Independent-T (to compare the average of the current situation and the desired situation) tests.

The total mean of the professional ethics from the students’ viewpoints was 2.40±0.16. There was a significant difference between ‘professional capabilities’, ‘respect and commitment to students’, ‘respect and commitment to colleagues’ and ‘respect and commitment to the organization’ components mean from students’ viewpoints regarding the moderate level. There was a maximum gap between current and desired situation in the total professional ethics, and there was a minimum gap in ‘respect and commitment to the organization’ component.

… [22, 23] The results of the present study are consistent with Azizi’s findings [6] that evaluate the current status of professional ethics in educational activities domain lower than mean level; but are not consistent with Fallah Tafti’s findings [23] that reports the lecturers’ professional ethics as favorable from students’ views.

It is suggested to provide the conditions in which faculty members have more interactions. Also, it is suggested to provide the condition to form interactions and dialogues about professional ethics by the university officials.

Non-declared

Nursing students are not satisfied with professional ethics in the university and among the faculty members; and they do not evaluate the status of the professional ethics component as favorable.

Researchers feel grateful towards all the officials and students of nursing discipline who aid this research.

Non-declared

The proposal was considered and approved by Orumieh Medical University’s Regional Ethics Committee for Medical Researches.

Non-declared

TABLES and CHARTS

Show attach file


CITIATION LINKS

[1]Ferasatkhah M. Code of ethics promote higher education. J Ethics Sci Technol. 2006;1(4):13-27.
[2]Huhtala M, Kangas M, Lamsa AM, Feldt T. Ethical managers in ethical organizations? The leadership-culture connection among Finnish managers. Leadership Org Dev J. 2013;34(3):250-70.
[3]Trevino LK, Weaver GR, Brown ME. It’s lovely at the top: hierarchical levels, identities, and perceptions of organizational ethics. Bus Ethics Q. 2008;18(2):233-52.
[4]Kujala J, Lamsa AM, Penttila K. Managers’ moral decision-making patterns over time: a multidimensional approach. J Bus Ethics. 2011;100(2):191-207.
[5]Perri DF, Callanan GA , Rotenberry PF, Oehlers PF. Education and training in ethical decision making: comparing context and orientation. Educ Train. 2009;51(1):70-83.
[6]Azizi NA. Professional ethics in higher education: Reflection on strategies to improve ethical standards in university education. J Strategy Cult. 2010;3(8,9):173-201. [Persian]
[7]Biedenweg K, Monroe MC, Oxarart A. The importance of teaching ethics of sustainability. IJSHE. 2013;14(1):6-14.
[8]Saki R. Ethics in educational research and its components. J Ethics Sci Technol. 2011;6(2):47-58. [Persian]
[9]Borhani F, Alhani F, Mohammadi E, Abbaszadeh A. Development of nurse competencies to professional ethics, ethics education needs and challenges. Iranian J Med Ethics His Med. 2009;2(3):27-38. [Persian]
[10]Faramarz Gharamaki A. Professional Ethics. Tehran: Majnon Publication; 2004. [Persian]
[11]Payne D, Pressley M. A transcendent code of ethics for marketing professionals. Int J Law Manag. 2013;55(1):55-73.
[12]Lashakar Boloki M. Developing a framework of values and professional ethics in scientific research and technological. J Ethics Sci Technol. 2008;3(1,2):105-13. [Persian]
[13]Moberg DJ. Seabright MA. The development of moral imagination. Bus Ethics Q. 2000;10(4):845-51.
[14]Faraj Khoda T, Latifnejhad R. Abbasi M. Need to design a code of professional ethics of reproductive health service providers in Iran. J Med Ethics. 2012;6(22):35-53. [Persian]
[15]Schwartz M. The nature of the relationship between corporate codes of ethics and behaviour. J Bus Ethics. 2001;32(3):247-62.
[16]Comunale CL, Sexton TR, Gara SC. Professional ethical crises: A case study of accounting majors. Manag Aud J. 2006:21(6):636-56.
[17]Imanipour M. Ethical principles in education. Iranian J Med Ethics His Med. 2012;5(6):25-38. [Persian]
[18]Stent A. Professional ethics and computer science/ information systems. New York: Stony Brook University; 2006.
[19]Allavisi G. Analysis of the role of professional ethics taught in academic centers: reflecting the opinions and views of university faculty. The first International Conference on Management, Gary future, industry and entrepreneurship in higher education; 2011. [Persian]
[20]Pourezat AA, Gholipour A, Hidari A, Nadirkhanloo S, Saeedinejhad M. Identify risk factors and consequences of non-academic behaviors among university teachers. J Ethics Sci Technol. 2012;7(2):1-14. [Persian]
[21]Duke C. Is there an Australian idea of a University?. J High Educ Policy Manag. 2004;26(3):297-314.
[22]Saraee H. An introduction to sampling in research. Tehran: Samt Publication; 2003. [Persian].
[23]Falah Tafti A. Moral characteristics of teacher students in medical school cooks martyr Sadooghi. Conference of Education Development in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences. 2010. [Persian]