Abstract
Purpose : The present study attempted to consider the degree of consciousness of economic ethics in nursing students and the factors affecting these perceptions. Method : A survey was conducted to a total of 874 nursing students from the freshmen and seniors of 11 depts of nursing science nationwide selected by convenience sampling (one for each province, and as for Gangwon-do, two schools were selected from Yeongdong area and Yeongseo area ; 13 male students were excluded). A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on their demographic characteristics and economic ethical perceptions. Collected data were analyzed using the SAS V8.1 statistical package. Result : (1) The score for the economic ethical consciousness of the subjects was $36.76{\pm}10.20$. As for each sub-categories, the score for industry was $7.67{\pm}2.77$; thrift, $7.42{\pm}2.37$; cooperation, $7.41{\pm}2.21$; occupational consciousness, $7.18{\pm}2.20$; and, for consumption, $7.02{\pm}1.90$. The score for the consciousness of consumption was the lowest. (2) Among the demographic characteristics of the subjects, age was found to have a statistically significant positive relation to the consciousness of economic ethics(r=.13, p<.001). The next significant factor was grade: seniors seemed to have a higher economic consciousness in all the sub-categories than freshmen(t=-4.32, p<.001). The number of in-home family has a statistically significant negative correlation with economic attitudes(r=-.15, p<.001). In addition, their economic ethical perceptions were significantly higher with no religion (t=2.14, p<.05); have an unemployed father (t=2.78, p<.05); have credit cards under their own names (t=3.04, p<.05); have ever had overdue card bills (t=4.25, p<.001); have ever had part time job(t=1.74, p<.1) and when they don't live with their parents (t=-2.01, p<.05). 3) A multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the influential power of the factors affecting the consciousness of economic ethics of the subjects. The factors had more influence on the economic attitudes of the seniors than those of freshmen; in those who having credit cards under their own names than under others; and, in those who have ever experienced credit default than those haven't. Though these factors raised average 3.0 points of economic consciousness, their expository power for the consciousness were low. Conclusion : The nursing students had medium-high consciousness of economic ethics and they seemed to have low consciousness of the proper consumption practices. Their actual life experiences had an influence on their economic attitudes. Therefore, practical programs on economic knowledge should be developed and taught to students systematically at school so that they could have sound consciousness of economic ethics and appropriate knowledge closely related with their real life.