Tehran University of Medical Sciences Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine 2008-0387 19 0 2026 06 20 1623 1623 Reza Ghanei Gheshlagh PhD in Nursing, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran; Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Biruni University, Istanbul, Turkey. Fazel Dehvan Msc in Nursing, Clinical Care Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran. Kimia Bigdeli Msc in Nursing, Student Research Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran. Simin Sharafi PhD in Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran 2025 09 18 2026 06 20 Ethical sensitivity is vital for nursing students as it affects decision-making and care quality. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed ethical sensitivity among Iranian nursing students. For this purpose, databases (MagIran, SID, PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Web of Science) were searched up to December 30, 2024. Observational studies reporting ethical sensitivity scores were selected, and scores were standardized to a 0–100 scale. Heterogeneity was assessed using I², and analyses were performed with STATA. Sixteen studies yielded a pooled ethical sensitivity score of 67% (95% CI: 62–72), with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 87.2%). Subgroup analyses (by publication year and language) and meta-regression (age,sample size) identified no significant moderators, and sensitivity analysis and trim-and-fill confirmed the stability of the estimate. Based on the findings, ethical sensitivity among Iranian nursing students is moderate, which highlights the need for targeted educational interventions and enhanced clinical experiences. https://jmehm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jmehm/article/view/1623 https://jmehm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jmehm/article/download/1623/490