The nursing profession is continuously evolving, but the core professional values for nurses will always remain the same. As well as the 6C’s of nursing, the professional values in nursing are what motivates nurses and act as guidelines for them when caring for patients and clients in different care settings.
What are professional values in nursing?
According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), professional values in nursing are centred around the Nursing Code and focus on four themes:
Prioritise people
Prioritising people essentially means to put the interests of those under your care first. As a nurse, you prioritise making their care and safety your main concern and ensure that their dignity remains preserved. You also recognise, assess and respond to their needs and wishes.
Practice effectively
Practicing effectively means to assess, deliver and advise on the care and treatment you’re providing to the best of your nursing abilities. You will communicate with your patients and clients effectively, ensuring you maintain records, share your skills and knowledge with your nursing colleagues when appropriate.
Preserve safety
Preserving safety focuses on ensuring your clients, patients and the public’s safety is not affected. You will advocate professional ‘duty of candour’ and report any concerns you have whenever you come across situations that put those under your care or the public at risk. You are essentially responsible for taking the appropriate actions when required.
Promote professionalism and trust
Promoting professionalism and trust in your nursing role means to display a pure commitment to the standards of practice and behaviours laid out in the Nursing Code. As a nurse it’s your duty to build trust with your clients and patients and promote professionalism in the care setting you work in.
Importance of professional values in nursing
The professional values in nursing are important as they provide a framework for nurses to refer to. The values help influence a nurse’s decisions, actions and emotions and guide them in the fast past and reactive care settings they work in.
When implementing the core professional nursing values into your role, they can support you to build resilience, learn new skills, develop in your career and grow personally and professionally.
Top professional values in nursing
Professional values in nursing are essential to any nursing career. Take a look at the top professional nursing values and how each play an important part in a nurse’s job.
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Accountability
- Collaboration
- Professionalism
- Curiosity
- Compassion
- Autonomy
- Integrity
- Trustworthiness
- Commitment
- Excellence
1. Accountability
Accountable nurses are responsible for justifying their actions and decisions. Accountability is an essential nursing skill and value to possess to instil trust in your colleagues, senior staff and clients.
Being accountable means you can admit when you have made a mistake or being honest when you aren’t sure how to perform a task or require support from your colleagues.
Related: RCN accountability and delegation professional development
2. Collaboration
For patients and clients to receive person-centred high-quality care, nurses need to collaborate and communicate with one another. If everyone is on the same page and able to work in unison, it can provide the best outcomes for those receiving care and may lead to fully recovery, better experiences and consistency of care.
3. Professionalism
Professionalism in nursing is essentially being a role model nurse that puts the needs of their patients and clients first to ensure they receive the best possible care. Professionalism is a key characteristic in nursing that can benefit those around you and can lead to better quality delivery of care.
4. Curiosity
By their very nature, nurses are naturally curious individuals. Demonstrating curiosity in your nursing role can help you to investigate concerns around your client’s care, medical and emotional challenges and ask questions that may lead to the answers you’re looking for.
5. Compassion
As well as being one of the 6C’s of nursing, Compassion is one of the Pulse Nursing at Home values. We believe compassion should be shown in nursing roles by:
- Listening to the needs of the client
- Providing comfort and kindness
- Establishing trust
- Forming strong professional bonds
- Displaying empathy and understanding
6. Autonomy
Autonomy is often associated with lone working in nursing. Being able to make autonomous decisions as a nurse shows your ability to think on your feet and confidently and professionally react and manage situations without immediately relying on others for advice. Autonomy is a skill associated with leadership and is something potential interviews will look for when recruiting for senior nurse roles such as a clinical lead.
7. Integrity
Integrity in nursing is defined as being honest and having strong and true moral principles. Demonstrating integrity in nursing is displaying to your colleagues and clients that you are reliable, trustworthy and have a strong work ethic.
8. Trustworthiness
The responsibilities of a nurse’s role require trustworthiness. As a nurse you are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of one to multiple individuals. Remaining honest and reliable can demonstrate to those around you that you are a trustworthy nurse who truly values those under your care.
9. Commitment
Commitment is another of the Pulse Nursing at Home core values. Our nurses display commitment in their roles by:
- Showing willingness to go above and beyond
- Striving to achieve high-quality care
- Making informed decisions
- Having a strong work ethic
- Following the Pulse Nursing at Home code of conduct
10. Excellence
Excellence in nursing is a core value that professional nurses should strive to display in their roles. Excellence is another Pulse Nursing at Home value that means to:
- Deliver world-class care
- Confidently overcome challenges
- Create a positive environment
- Cultivate clinical excellence
- Demonstrate continuous personal and professional development
- Strive for consistent high-quality care
Nursing roles in the community with Pulse Nursing at Home
Keep up to date with our latest adult nursing job and paediatric nursing jobs in your area by applying with us using the form below.
If you wish to discuss our community nursing roles, our dedicated Resourcing Recruitment Team are also available to contact via phone and email.
Phone: 0333 323 3746
Email: joinus@pulsenursingathome.co.uk