As a nurse, I believe that I must uphold five core values at all times to be the best care provider possible. I wish to reflect these five values within my professional and personal life, inspiring how I interact with others and whom I represent. These five values are Empathy, Respect, Compassion, Competency and Autonomy.

Reflection of My 5 Core Values 

Empathy: 

The ability for nurses to connect with their patients and sympathize with their psychological, physical and emotional feelings during their time in our care. Empathy is a part of providing holistic care as it allows you to build the patient-nurse relationship. We are responsible for leaving all biases out of the door and providing each patient with the same level of care. Empathy is an attribute that I have always tried to uphold, even at a young age, so that those around me would feel comfortable and not alone.

Respect:

 Respecting everyone I interact with as a nurse is one of the most critical standards nurses can hold themselves to. As nurses, we will help make decisions for our patients; in this, we need to ensure that we respect their wishes and autonomy. Setting aside all biases and prejudices we may carry when caring for our patients. Respect for the patient’s decisions for their care that we might not believe in ourselves, such as perspectives on MAID, DNR, abortions or other ethics-based procedures.

Compassion:

 As nurses, we will meet people from all walks of life, those who are struggling with mental health, substance abuse, and physical need and plenty of others to whom we will provide care. Compassion reflects empathy and respect; we must set aside our feelings to care for the patients. We must also understand that we will see many patients during the worst period of their lives, and extra compassion goes a long way in holistic care. I hold this value dear to me, as I know that patients will need the most support possible, and a compassionate nurse will make the process a little easier.

Competency:

 Carrying knowledge, skills, and safety as a nurse will allow us to provide safe patient care and ensure no mistakes occur. I value competency as I want to be able to provide the best care for my patients and be as knowledgeable as I can about the skills I use. This value resonates with me as I know that all patients deserve a highly knowledgeable nurse, but I can also ask for help from a more senior peer if needed. 

Autonomy:

 Acting on behalf of my patients and advocating for their ability to make choices for themselves, being included in the treatment plan and allowing them to ask questions. It is one of the most important as we can occasionally forget our patients are real people rather than just medical clients, remembering they are the most important component of the nurse-patient relationship. This value reflects my behaviour as a nurse. If I were in the patient’s position, I would appreciate upholding decisions for my care, and if I can not, then having someone who will advocate for me is. As future nurses, we are extensions of our patients if they can not care for themselves.