The five core values of nursing

Nursing primarily focuses on treating, supporting and providing quality care to people, communities and families. Nurses are an essential part of the medical staff who provide patients with high-quality care, fight for their rights and general wellbeing and promote health and disease prevention awareness.

The fundamental core values of nurses remain constant despite the fact that the healthcare system is continuously transforming. These fundamental core values help nurses make important decisions and uphold the highest standards of patient care in a fast-moving, demanding and satisfying career.

For nurses in the healthcare sector, having a core value system in place is crucial since they regularly deal with situations that call for prompt decisions and specialized knowledge. In addition to offering a foundation for behavior and influencing significant decisions, they also:

• Encourage teamwork.
• Maintain excellent standards of care.
• Use common values to help healthcare professionals collaborate more effectively.
• Make sure co-workers uphold the tradition of caring behavior.

Many nurses adhere to a set of principles that serve as a roadmap for them as they make critical decisions in these circumstances to assist them in fulfilling particular performance requirements. Knowing the guiding principles of care that many nurses employ in their work is beneficial if you are considering a nursing career. This article will discuss the five core nursing values that enhance the overall quality of patient care and the significance of each value, as well as its practical applications.

What are nursing values?

Nursing values are the norms and guidelines that nurses adhere to in order to guarantee that their work is done properly and ethically. Nursing values are the core beliefs and principles that guide nursing practice. They are a set of ethical and professional standards that define the responsibilities and expectations of nurses in their interactions with patients, families, colleagues and the broader healthcare system. Patients receive better care when nurses and other medical staff adhere to these guidelines. Nursing values are best learned through high-quality education delivered by experienced professors, such as those who teach at Saint Joe’s Online. Saint Joseph’s College of Maine provides a state-of-the-art simulation lab to help students build their practical skills during on-campus immersions.

Top five core values of nursing

1. Caring

The core principle of nursing is caring, which entails demonstrating kindness, understanding and attention to patients’ emotional, physical, psychological and religious aspects. In order to provide patients and communities with comfort, assistance and confidence during their care experience, nurses should work to develop trusted connections with them. Understanding and recognizing patients’ feelings and emotional needs are equally important to providing physical care for them. Effective patient communication requires that nurses listen intently to their patients’ issues and respond accordingly.

2. Integrity and accountability

Another fundamental nursing principle is integrity, which entails being dependable, truthful and open in all facets of nursing practice. Integrity means having moral character and being trustworthy. To uphold the treatment guidelines defined by their healthcare institutions and enhance patient rehabilitation, nurses should behave honestly at work. If patients trust the nurses’ capacity to do their duties honestly, they may feel more at peace and eager to get the proper care for their illnesses or injuries. Nurses are accountable for upholding the highest professional norms and ethical standards of behavior. Nurses are required to safeguard and protect patients’ privacy and uphold confidentiality while communicating honestly with them and their relatives.

Additionally, every decision you make as a nurse has an effect on patients. It’s critical to accept responsibility for your actions as growing as a professional depends on your ability to learn from mistakes. If nurses make mistakes, they should own up to them, accept responsibility for what they do and determine how to remedy the situation.

3. Advocacy

Advocacy is a fundamental nursing value that entails defending patients’ rights and advancing their best interests. To ensure that their patients receive the best available treatment, high-quality care and counseling, nurses should sincerely support their patients. Additionally, advocacy entails empowering patients by giving them the knowledge and tools they need to make decisions regarding their treatment. Nurses should be able to recognize and resolve any problems or worries that could impact their patients’ overall wellness and health.

4. Respect

Respect is a fundamental nursing principle that entails treating individuals, coworkers and other medical practitioners with respect and consideration. In order to provide care that is considerate of each patient’s overall requirements and preferences, nurses should be aware of the cultural variations among their patients. They should accept a patient’s choice even if they disagree with their decision. In addition, nurses must appreciate their coworkers by cooperating with them and acknowledging their efforts.

5. Professionalism

One of the fundamental principles of nursing is professionalism, which entails upholding the highest levels of knowledge, skill, awareness and conduct. To stay current with changes in nursing practice and healthcare, nurses should be dedicated to continuous learning. They should be passionate about their job and work to advance the safety of patients and quality of care. Even in tough and stressful circumstances, professionalism entails having a cheerful and polite approach towards patients, coworkers, caregivers and other healthcare providers.

What is the importance of nursing values in the field of nursing?

Nursing values are principles that guide the behavior and decision-making of nurses in their practice. These values are essential to the nursing field because they provide a framework for understanding and addressing the needs of patients and their families. The following are some reasons why nursing values are important in the field of nursing:

Patient-centered care: Nursing values place the needs and wellbeing of patients at the center of nursing practice. By upholding empathy, respect and compassion, nurses can provide care focused on patients’ unique needs and preferences.

Ethical decision-making: Nursing values such as honesty, integrity and accountability are essential for ethical decision-making in nursing. Nurses must make decisions that are in the best interests of their patients, and these values help guide them in making decisions that align with ethical principles.

Professionalism: Nursing values also contribute to the development of professional nursing practice. By upholding values such as competence, continuous learning and collaboration, nurses can maintain high standards of practice and work effectively with other healthcare professionals.

Patient safety: Nursing values such as vigilance and attention to detail are important for patient safety. Nurses must be alert to potential risks and take appropriate measures to prevent patient harm.