Objective: To investigate ethical sensitivity and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care among undergraduate nursing students at a private university, examine the relationship between these constructs, and identify factors associated with ethical sensitivity, thereby informing nursing ethics and humanistic care education. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to recruit 519 undergraduate nursing students from a private university in Yunnan Province, China. The Chinese versions of the Ethical Sensitivity Questionnaire for Nursing Students and the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale were administered. Results: A total of 455 valid questionnaires were obtained. The mean ethical sensitivity score was 31.97±6.11, and the mean item score was 2.91±0.56. The patient privacy protection dimension had the lowest mean item score. The mean spirituality and spiritual care score was 61.93±11.12 and was positively correlated with ethical sensitivity (r=0.533, p<0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that sex, educational pathway, prior ethics coursework, only-child status, and the total spirituality and spiritual care score were associated with ethical sensitivity (p<0.05). The adjusted R² of the model was 0.303. Conclusion: Ethical sensitivity among undergraduate nursing students at this private university was generally above the theoretical midpoint, although patient privacy protection remained a relatively weak area. Nursing education should strengthen the integration of ethics education and spiritual care education and use case-based teaching, scenario simulation, and reflective learning to improve students’ ability to identify and respond to clinical ethical issues.
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Weng, X., Yang, X., Xing, H., Zhang, N., Qian, Q. (2026) Ethical Sensitivity and Associated Factors among Undergraduate Nursing Students at a Private University from a Spiritual Care Perspective. Global Education Bulletin, 3(5), 17-24. https://doi.org/10.71052/grb2025/RFIY6466