This study aimed to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and ethical decision-making competence in nursing students and to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Ethical Decision-Making Competence Scale (EDM-CS) in the Turkish context. A descriptive-predictive cross-sectional design was used with 273 third- and fourth-year nursing students from a public university. Data were collected using the Individual Information Form and Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form. Confirmatory factor analysis, Pearson correlation, and stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted. Ethical decision-making competence was significantly and positively correlated with emotional intelligence (r = 0.486, p < 0.01). Regression analysis identified four significant predictors: emotional intelligence, self-confidence in solving ethical problems, clinical setting, and academic year. Emotional intelligence emerged as the strongest predictor, explaining 36.1% of the variance in ethical competence. Nursing students' ethical decision-making competence was at a good level and closely associated with emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence plays a central role in enhancing ethical awareness, motivation, and action. Educational strategies that promote emotional intelligence and reflective learning may strengthen students' ethical competence in clinical practice.
Keywords: emotional intelligence; ethical decision‐making; nursing; quantitative research; students.
© 2026 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.