The Perceptions of Professional Values among Students at a Spanish Nursing School

Professional values gained in postgraduate nursing education from the perspectives of master's and doctorate graduates: A mixed-methods study

AIM

To determine the professional values of graduates of master's and doctoral programs in nursing and their views on the contribution of postgraduate education to their professional values.

BACKGROUND

In postgraduate education, which is an important catalyst of professional identity development, a professional is expected to specialize in a field, get into more depth professionally, internalize professional values, and reflect and strengthen these values. To shed light on this expectation, more information is needed to assess the impact of postgraduate education on professional values.

METHODS

A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used. Data were collected for the quantitative part of the study for 385 graduates of postgraduate nursing education programs in Turkey who were selected using the snowball sampling method, while the maximum variation sampling method was used to collect data from 12 individuals for the qualitative part of the study. The Nurses Professional Values Scale (NPVS) and a Semi-Structured Interview Form were used to collect data in October-December 2022. The quantitative data obtained in the study were analyzed using the SPSS software, and the qualitative data were analyzed using the MAXQDA software.

RESULTS

The mean total NPVS score of the participants was 130.32 ± 21.34 (possible range: 31-155). Among all dimensions, the highest mean score of the participants was in the caring dimension, followed by professionalism and activism. There were significant differences in the NPVS total and subscale scores of the participants based on their views on the contributions of age, institution where they worked, marital status, position at work, and postgraduate education to the acquisition of professional values. In the qualitative dimension of the study, two main themes were identified. One of these themes was the theme of professional values in postgraduate nursing education that covered the categories of professional values gained through postgraduate education, professional values that a nurse who has completed postgraduate education should have, and professional values in postgraduate nursing education. The second theme was the theme named recommendations for providing nurses with professional values through postgraduate education. The integration of data from both components indicated that the qualitative interviews enriched the quantitative findings.

CONCLUSION

It was concluded that postgraduate nursing education programs contribute greatly to the professional values of graduates and strengthen their professional values.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY

For the future of nursing, increasing professional strengths and visibility is significantly associated with professional values. This situation requires nurses with strong professional values. Graduate education programs in nursing should be developed in this direction and focus on development of professional values.

Bioethical knowledge in students and health professionals: a systematic review

Introduction

Bioethics training is essential for healthcare professionals as it enables them to address ethical dilemmas in their clinical practice. However, there is still a lack of rigorous teaching programs, and assessing bioethical knowledge poses challenges.

Methodology

Systematic review using the PRISMA method.

Results

Analysis of 27 studies reveals a lack of ethical knowledge and skills among healthcare professionals and students. Specific training in bioethics is effective in developing bioethical competencies. Different approaches have been employed, including integrated training in academic curricula and intensive or ongoing programs. The results demonstrate improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and ethical values, although regularly updating these courses is recommended.

Conclusion

Specific training, institutional support, and considering regional and disciplinary differences are necessary to enhance ethics in the practice of healthcare professionals.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023437146, identifier CRD42023437146.

Measuring Professional Values Among Jordanian and Palestinian Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Comparative Study

BACKGROUND

Professional values provide a road map for guiding the behaviors of nursing students during practice and are considered standards for acceptable actions during the provision of nursing care. Nursing educators play a vital role in helping their students embrace professional values in their future career.

PURPOSE

This study was designed to assess and compare professional values among Jordanian and Palestinian undergraduate nursing students.

METHODS

In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, 182 Jordanian and 353 Palestinian nursing students completed the Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised (NPVS-R), which covers five domains (caring, trust, justice, activism, and professionalism).

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 22.5 years, and most (56.6%) were female. The mean total score for the NPVS-R was 3.85, with the "justice" dimension receiving the highest mean score (4.07) and the "activism" dimension receiving the lowest mean score (3.63). The differences in mean NPVS-R total and dimension scores between the Jordanian and Palestinian students were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study support that Jordanian and Palestinian undergraduate nursing students have an acceptable level of professional values, with the NPVS-R justice domain scoring relatively high and the NPVS-R activism domain scoring relatively low. The authors hope that the results of this study encourage nursing educators to continue improving professional values among their students, especially with regard to the relatively low-rated dimensions.

Professional Values of Undergraduate Students at a Nursing School in South Africa

Background

Nursing schools play an important role in instilling nursing professional values in undergraduate nursing students and ensuring that they produce professional nurse graduates. Several studies in various countries have been conducted to describe the professional values held by nursing students, but this has not been explored in detail in South Africa.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to describe the professional values held by undergraduate degree students at a nursing school in South Africa.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted. With a population of 1,233 undergraduate nursing students across four years in the degree programme at the nursing school, a sample of 294 was calculated as the representative (95% CI, 5% error, and 50% response distribution). The 26-item nurses professional values scale revision (NPVS-R) with five value dimensions was used to collect the data. Means, frequencies, and confidence intervals were used to describe the values and Mann-Whitney U tests and Kruskal-Wallis independent sample tests were used to compare the findings with the demographic characteristics.

Results

A total number of 245 respondents completed the questionnaire (response rate of 83.3%). Overall, the nurse professional value score was high (113.1 ± 13.1). The values of trust (4.46 ± 0.61), justice (4.39 ± 0.57), and caring (4.38 ± 0.55) were rated significantly higher than those of professionalism (4.23 ± 0.64) and activism (4.22 ± 0.57). First- and final-year students had significantly higher professional value scores.

Conclusion

The study results describe the professional values of undergraduate nursing students in the school and confirmed the importance of trust, justice, and caring as the key professional values in the South African setting. Clinical Relevance. Nursing education should embed and monitor nursing professional values in the curriculum. Instilling nursing professional values in undergraduate nurses during formal training programmes improves quality patient care and service delivery for clinical practice.

Comparison of Professional Values Between Sophomore and Senior Nursing Students

This cross-sectional comparative survey aimed to determine the level differences of professional nursing values in sophomore and senior nursing students using a demographic form and the Nurses Professional Values Scale-3. The mean score for nursing professional values was significantly higher (p < .001) among senior students (111.02, SD = 15.12) than sophomore students (99.46, SD = 12.56). However, professional values in the professional dimension require improvement. To ensure that future nurses integrate these values into professional practice, nurse educators must teach professional values by adopting innovative approaches.

Factors affecting nurses' professional values: A comprehensive integrative review

OBJECTIVES

Values should inform the care every nurse provides. Professional values equally affect patient care and organizational outcomes. In addition, they aid in forming a basis for moral judgments. The aim of this review is to elucidate the whole spectrum of factors affecting the development of nurses' professional values.

DESIGN

An integrative review approach was chosen.

DATA SOURCE

The review included searches in four databases - MEDLINE Complete, CINAHL Plus, ERIC, and Scopus - from January 2015 to November 2021, 572 articles were screened resulting in 35 quantitative and qualitative articles that met the inclusion criteria and passed the critical appraisal.

RESULT

Five major themes and subthemes emerged from the review: Individual determinants was the first theme. Education was the second theme. Experience was the third theme. The fourth theme was nurses' values perceptions. The final theme dealt with the impact of role models.

CONCLUSION

Understanding the power of nursing values as an effective influencer of nursing practice is important because nurses' values can ensure high-quality care and strengthen the professional brand.

Professional values in nursing students in Jordan: baccalaureate nursing students’ perception

Objective

Baccalaureate degree curricula consist of several professional values required for nursing students, which are taught in many ways. This study aimed to explore the perception of baccalaureate Jordanian nursing students regarding professional values and to assess the relationship between students’ demographics and their perception of professional values.

Methods

The study design was a descriptive, cross-sectional correlational design. A convenience sample of 182 Jordanian undergraduate nursing students enrolled at one of the most prominent universities in Jordan who completed and submitted a self-administered Nurses’ Professional Values Scale (NPVS) was considered for this study.

Results

The NPVS total score ranged from 37 to 130, with a relatively high total score mean (99.68 with a mean of 3.83 out of 5). The highest score domain in NPVS was “Justice” with a mean of 3.97, while the lowest ranked domain was “Activism” with a mean of 3.69. The correlation coefficient showed no statistically significant correlation between age nor accumulative students’ average with a total score of Nurses Professional Values Scale-revised (NPVS-R) and its subdomains. The t test results showed that gender and type of students’ enrollment (regular vs. upgrading) did not affect the means of NPVS-R and its subdomains. But differences were found to be statistically significant between the means of first year students and fourth year students in the total score of NPVS-R.

Conclusions

Findings of the study alert nursing educators to pay more attention to the importance of promoting the values related to “activism” and “professionalism” among nursing students. Suggestions for enhancing the roles of peer supervision and providing peer review to colleagues would contribute to improving nursing students’ performance and raising self-awareness because when nursing educators pay more attention to the items of these domains, better future nursing professionals, leaders, and researchers can be gained. Also, understanding nursing students’ perceptions of the importance of professional values and the difficulties in its application would be vital to enlighten educators about the areas that need improvement.

Professional values and ethical sensitivities of student nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Professional values in nursing are the foundation of ethical practice affecting patient care quality.

AIM

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the development of professional values and ethical sensitivities among new nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A prospective observational study with a pre-test and post-test design was used. The sample constituted students (n = 302). The Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised and Modified Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire for Student Nurses were used for collecting data.

RESULTS

Professional values post-test mean scores of participants were significantly higher than the pre-test scores (p < 0.001). No significant difference was determined between the pre-test and post-test mean scores of ethical sensitivity (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The current study concluded that the professional values of newly graduated nurses developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there was no change in ethical sensitivities.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY

This study provides one of the first pieces of evidence for nursing educators and managers to assess the professional values and ethical sensitivities of newly qualified nurses who may have been affected both during and after the outbreak. Newly qualified nurses should are valued members of the health care institutions, and orientation programmes should be implemented to improve their perceptions of the profession.

Professional values in student nurse education: An integrative literature review

AIM

The aim is to understand current research into the impact of undergraduate nursing education on the development of professional values.

BACKGROUND

Values are evident in the professional standards for nurses and the guidelines and healthcare policies of many countries. These professional values guide decisions and behaviour and are recognised as an essential component in the professions ability to provide safe and professional care. This literature review presents the current research on the impact of education on professional values in undergraduate nurse education.

DESIGN

An integrative review of the findings was conducted to provide insight into the current research on the professional value development in undergraduate nurses.

DATA SOURCES

CINAHL, PubMed and Scopus.

REVIEW METHODS

A literature search was undertaken within defined date parameters 2010-2021 using a systematic approach. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guide PRISMA was used to guide and illustrate the process. Papers were assessed for quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

RESULTS

Two distinct areas of inquiry were identified. (a) Changes in professional values as an outcome of undergraduate nursing education or (b) changes in professional values as an outcome of specifically designed educational content. These areas were further explored to better understand the influences of undergraduate education on students' professional values.

CONCLUSION

There is a lack of evidence in the literature to support the premise that professional values develop in line with academic year progression; however, there is strong evidence to support the inclusion of explicit learning in undergraduate education that engages students in education specifically designed to explore and develop professional values.

Reflective Practice in Times of Covid-19: A Tool to Improve Education for Sustainable Development in Pre-Service Teacher Training

Crisis situations such as the current Covid-19 pandemic are a catalyst for change. This study stresses the need to work towards achieving quality education, and to prepare future teachers in sustainability competencies. The research questions are related to the key competencies necessary to accelerate change and to how to increase awareness and literacy of the SDGs in higher education. A quantitative methodology aimed at improving the training of future teachers who engage in reflective and critical thinking was used. Data were gathered on the level of reflection of students from three Spanish universities. The instrument used, the Reflective Practice Questionnaire, includes concepts defined in the literature related to reflective capacity such as Reflection in Action, Reflection on Action and Reflection with Others. The results of the study provide quantitative data showing a positive impact of reflective practice on future teachers. Education for sustainable development requires participatory methods that motivate and empower students to change their behaviour. Reflective practice must be accompanied by processes of communication and supervision that encourage confidence and the desire to improve. Training future teachers in reflective practice should be a differentiating element to achieve quality education, allowing adaptation to current and future adverse situations.