November 23, 2014

           

Nursing is a profession where it is important to establish and understand your personal values. This is because your values often influence your behaviour and how you approach a situation. Additionally, within nursing your values may be challenged, so it is important to have the ability to articulate your values. The values that I see as most important to nursing are altruism, integrity, commitment, and compassion.

 

I believe that altruism is the quality of selflessness and putting other’s needs before your own, even though it may be difficult in some situations. Altruism is a value that all nurses should posses, as the patient’s needs must always come before their own. I think that this value greatly contributes to the quality of care the patient receives. The nurse must put aside any personal barriers or opinions that could prevent them from giving the patient the best care possible. This is a value that strongly relates to my desire to pursue nursing. I believe that caring for others is a privilege, and it should be done in a thoughtful and considerate manner.         

 

Integrity is the value of being honest and doing the right thing, even though there may be consequences. It involves doing the right thing even if there is no one watching, or you will not receive praise for your actions. I feel that integrity also relates to morality and following what you think is right. In nursing, integrity relates to making morally sound decisions that will benefit the patient’s wellbeing. Often, you may come across situations that question your integrity, so you must make the right decision while staying true to yourself and your beliefs.

 

To me, commitment is staying dedicated to something or someone even when it gets tough. Commitment is the perseverance to see something through until the end, in spite of any obstacles or complications that may arise. Commitment is heavily integrated into nursing since you must stay committed to the care of your patient. Your actions as a nurse can greatly affect a patient’s life, so you must always stay committed to helping them however you can. This may involve staying later than you are required to, or going out of your way to do something nice for the patient. Commitment shows that you value the patient and their needs above your own.

 

Compassion is the quality of showing that you care and want to help. To me, it involves being considerate of other people’s needs and feelings, and then acting accordingly. It is important for the nurse to show their patients that they care about their needs and that they are there to help them. You need to be conscious and considerate of how the patient is feeling and adjust your behaviour accordingly. Additionally, I feel that compassion extends further than just patient care. Compassion should be shown toward coworkers, and it should also be shown outside of the workplace. Showing someone that you care about them is a simple gesture that can go a long way.