Title : Exploring the relationships among moral courage, social responsibility, and mature happiness in nursing students: A cross-sectional study
Abstract:
Background: Compared to traditional happiness, mature happiness has a greater advantage in reducing negative emotions and feelings of loneliness, as well as enhancing psychological resilience. The happiness of nursing interns significantly impacts their professional competence and the quality of care they provide to patients. Therefore, understanding the factors that influence mature happiness among nursing interns can yield valuable insights for nursing education and workforce planning policies.
Aims: This study aims to investigate the relationship between moral courage, social responsibility, and mature happiness, while exploring the mediating role of social responsibility in the connection between moral courage and mature happiness among nursing interns.
Methods: A convenience sample of 811 nursing interns was recruited from five universities across three provinces between November and December 2023. Participants were assessed using the Mature Happiness Scale-Revised, the Nurse Social Responsibility Questionnaire, and the Nurses’ Moral Courage Scale. The mediation model was analyzed using SPSS version 27 and the Process Macro version 4.0. This study was conducted in accordance with the STROBE guidelines.
Results: The findings revealed a significant positive relationship among mature happiness, moral courage, and social responsibility among nursing interns. Social responsibility was found to partially mediate the relationship between moral courage and mature happiness (95% CI: 0.136–0.174, p = 0.01). The direct effect of moral courage on mature happiness (0.024) and its mediating effect (0.155) account for 13.32% and 86.68% of the total effect (0.174), respectively.
Conclusion: The mature happiness of nursing interns is in the middle to upper range, and it is crucial to enhance moral courage and social responsibility to improve their mature happiness. Nursing educators should prioritize the physical and mental health of undergraduate nursing interns, implementing diverse strategies to alleviate moral distress and foster social responsibility. Additionally, nursing educators and hospital administrators are encouraged to develop moral training programs that promote nursing interns' engagement in social practice, thereby enhancing their mature well-being.
