The Mediating Effect of Nursing Professionalism on the Relationship Between Nursing Students’ Perception of Artificial Intelligence Technology and Biomedical Ethics Awareness

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the mediating effect of nursing professionalism on the relationship between the perception of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and biomedical ethics awareness among nursing students. Methods: The participants of the study were 151 nursing students from a college in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do, who completed a self-report questionnaire between April 1 and May 2, 2024. Data were analyzed using t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation in SPSS version 23.0. The mediating effect was tested using the PROCESS macro (Model 4) and confirmed through bootstrapping. Results: The analysis revealed mean scores of 4.11 for the perception of AI technology (range: 1–5), 4.26 for nursing professionalism (range: 1–5), and 3.06 for biomedical ethics awareness (range: 1–4). Biomedical ethics awareness was significantly correlated with AI perception (r= .29, p< .001) and nursing professionalism (r= .37, p< .001). The effect of AI perception on biomedical ethics awareness decreased from β= .32 to β= .24 when nursing professionalism was included in the model, indicating a partial mediating effect. Conclusion: Nursing professionalism was found to have a partial mediating effect. To enhance nursing students' AI perception and biomedical ethics awareness, educational programs that strengthen professional identity through strategies such as case-based learning, simulation, and role-play are needed.