Professional values and empowerment: a role for continuing education

Area of Science:

• Nursing Ethics
• Professional Values

Background:

• Professional nursing requires a strong commitment to values.
• Advances in knowledge and technology present complex ethical challenges for nurses.
• A code of ethics guides ethical decision-making in nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the values identified by nursing practitioners.
• To assess the internalization of professional and social issue values within nursing.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the Code for Nurses document (1978).
• Identification of frequently recognized values among nursing practitioners.

Main Results:

• Nurses most frequently identify with professional issue values (first six statements).
• Values related to social issues (last five statements), such as professional empowerment, are less readily identified.
• Internalization of social issue values is critical for nursing's future.

Conclusions:

• Nursing practice is increasingly influenced by ethical considerations.
• A gap exists in the recognition and internalization of social issue values among nurses.
• Embracing all values within the code of ethics is essential for the future of nursing.