Article review about the core proffesssional values of nursing - Research Paper Example

CPNVs and Cultural Competencies Lutheran School of Nursing NR 105: Fundamentals of Nursing II Fall Semester Introduction According to Shaw and Degazon (2008), there is expected to be an extreme increase in the need for nurses due to an aging workforce and the lack of students enrolling in nursing programs currently. In order to meet this deficiency, many universities have started recruiting programs, especially to recruit those of different cultural backgrounds to diversify the nursing industry since according to recent statistics, the industry is approximately 88% white.

In addition, in order to increase the output of new nurses into healthcare, many universities have been creating streamlined accelerated programs with greater emphasis being placed on technical skills and nursing sciences. This is creating a difficult time for new nursing students to have cultural integration into the workforce. In order to make this transition more effective, the Hunter- Bellevue School of Nursing, Hunter College of City University of New York explored and provided additional integration of CPNVs, Core Professional Nursing Values, in order to help integrate social attitudes and cultural values into the workforce.

Altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity and social justice were focused on. Main Concepts In many regards, altruism is required to be the key motivational source not only for just nurses, but for anyone pursing a career in the healthcare market. It is the care for others without regard for themselves which makes a great healthcare practitioner; however, with greater economic instability, greed and financial security have replaced this respect to altruism in nursing. In the program, instructors focused on introspection and reflection with students in order for students to understand what was the essence of their driving force.

It was also noted that students that received additional academic help and counseling were more eager to help others. Autonomy is the second core value needed by all nurses. This is described by self-determination and self-directed approaches of nurses. Students are encouraged to develop their own approach and vision regarding autonomy due to the cultural and societal backgrounds that they each come from. Instructors had students watch a film and discuss this value so that they could gain different understandings on the value presented.

Possibly one of the most important values to uphold is human dignity. As many students remarked, it is not uncommon in their respective hospitals to see doctors or other nurses not treat patients with respect and dignity, but instead often are impatient and blunt (Shaw & Degazon 2008). Even though many nurses do not actively show these actions, an activity gave greater insight into the stereotypes and prejudices that might be interfering with them without consciously being aware. As a result, by upholding human dignity, one is able to diminish prejudices and judgments regarding patients.

Integrity is required for the operant behavior of a nurse. “According to national studies, 70% of college students had reported that in the previous year, they engaged in serious acts of academic dishonesty” (Shaw & Degazon, p.48, 2008). In order to talk about integrity, instructors often discussed the complexity of decision making and how integrity is required to make decisions effectively. A big discrepancy in the view of integrity is rooted in cultural background. Some students had a strict attitude regarding adherence to the rules and not breaking them.

Others felt that in regards to different circumstances, it may be required to bend the rules. The instructors made sure that the students understood that they were responsible for their own actions and this helped them realize that they have a greater potential for growth and understanding. Social justice is the moral and ethical responsibility regarding the basic rights of others. In order to help understand this, instructors made students realize that different cultural and societal norms play a part in this.

This made students gain an expansion of their awareness for human needs outside their community and around the world. Conclusion In conclusion, the CPNVs are an important and integral part regarding the training and development of nursing students. They promote teamwork, better patient understanding, and facilitate the development of communication skills as well as leadership aspects. In order to assess the success of the program, longitudinal studies are needed as well as reviewing the acculturation of those who went through the program.

The hope is that this program will serve as a model of teaching which will hopefully create better cultural competencies as well as reduce burn out rates. References Shaw, H, & Degazon, C. (2008). Integrating the core values of nursing: a profession, not just a career. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 15(1), 44-50.