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Nurse Professional Values

Professional and personal values are beliefs that one is committed to and which are
reflected in the actions they take and the decisions they make (Moyo et al., 2016). For nurses,
their professional and personal values are the foundation of their professional practice.
Personally, my professional values have not just been formed through studies and experience.
They are deeply rooted in my personal values which have been influenced by my parents,
religion, and schooling.
One of these core values is integrity. Integrity involves strictly adhering to accepted
standards of practice and professional code of ethics (Moyo et al., 2016). In practice, integrity
requires that health professionals remain honest at all times and provide care to patients that is
guided by the ethical framework of nursing. Integrity also requires that nurses accept and
correct their errors and show accountability for their actions as well as those of other members
of their healthcare teams (Moyo et al., 2016). Using this value as a guide for my work has
enabled me to provide the highest standard of care to my patients and to avoid professional
misconduct that would have dented my reputation and that of my colleagues.
Another value that I hold dear is respect for human dignity. This value requires health
professionals to respect all individuals regardless of their religious background, gender, race,
or sexual orientation (Moyo et al., 2016). With this value as my guide, I strive to treat all my
patients with dignity through keeping them clean, allowing them high level of independence,
and generally ensuring that when performing any procedures on them I do not make them feel
violated in any manner. I use this value as my guide even when dealing with my colleagues.
Regardless of their age, professional experience, or level of education, I treat them with

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respect and make them feel valuable. Due to my adherence to this value, I have always
enjoyed excellent relations with my patients and colleagues which has made my work easier.
While there are many other values that guide me, I consider these two values the core
of my professional work. Not only have they enabled me to provide excellent services to my
patients, they have also allowed me to develop healthy and professional relationships with my
colleagues.

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References

Moyo, M., Goodyear-Smith, F. A., Weller, J., Robb, G., & Shulruf, B. (2016). Healthcare
practitioners’ personal and professional values. Advances in Health Sciences
Education, 21(2), 257-286.