Core Beliefs and Values

The list below are core values and beliefs that I believe are relevant now and to the future of nursing as a profession. The values are essential now and will continue to be as the nursing profession evolves.

Belief Statement:

Being a nursing student again and also having worked as a Registered Practical Nurse, I believe these nursing values are essential to the profession.

         COMPASSION

Having compassion while working in the nursing profession is a key value that I believe makes a good nurse. In healthcare “nurses have a duty of care to show compassion; an absence can lead to patients feeling devalued and lacking in emotional support” (Bramley and Matiti, 2014). Having empathy for the patients so they can feel respected when getting medical care, it has been shown that compassion can promote both physical and mental health. I feel and have seen the effects compassion can have on someone at their most vulnerable, like being in the hospital. To show compassion shows what it means to care about someone else’s well-being which can truly grow a nurse’s practice.

ALTRUISM

Altruism, or the selfless concern for the well-being of others, is considered a vital characteristic for nurses, as it directly influences the quality of care they provide. A lot of the time nurses must put their patients before themselves, which can easily be taken too far. It is important to balance true altruism with caring for ourselves so safe care can be provided. “Altruism is associated with compassion, kindness, commitment, and empathy towards patients and their families, and it motivates nurses to protect patients’ dignity and provide them a safe care” (Çiftçi, Noyan, & Yildiz, 2021, pg.1783-1784). Altruistic characteristics should be our motivation to care without conditions and without requiring acknowledgment. Nurses with high levels of altruism are more likely to be engaged in patient-centered care and maintain strong ethical standards. I feel that altruism is going to continue to be a core value for nurses no matter what because it improves patient care, it promotes ethical and moral practice, builds trust between all parties, and improves the healthcare system.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Nurses need to hold ourselves accountable for our actions acknowledging when we make mistakes and taking proper actions to rectify that. We care for the community and aim to keep them safe when they are at their most vulnerable in hospital settings. The CNO holds nurses accountable through the quality assurance program. “All practicing nurses are accountable, under the legislation, to self-assess their nursing practice every year” (CNO, n.d.) We need to hold ourselves accountable to keep the practice honest and safe for the patients. “Patient safety is at the heart of nursing” (CNO, n.d.) I believe holding ourselves accountable allows for encouraging improvement and builds transparency and honesty in healthcare.

collaboration

Nursing is a team sport. Even though most of the time we care for our individual teams of patients, nurses work with each other to support the patients and to alleviate some of the stressful events that we go through on a day-to-day basis. Collaboration also includes working with interdisciplinary teams: doctors, physio, occupational therapists, dieticians, speech-language pathologists, and many more and also the patient. Working together with other specialties allows for care that is thorough and working with the patient and what they desire allows for patient-centered care that is in line with what the patient wants for themselves and in their care plan. Patient-centered care is the ideal way we care for patients and should be the only way that we care so that we can give holistic care. In practice, patient-centered care often leads to better health outcomes, improved patient satisfaction, and a more efficient healthcare system. This approach is key for nurses and collaboration is an essential model for improving the quality of care.