what are the 5 essential nursing values

The 5 Core Values of Nursing

These values—compassion, integrity, autonomy, altruism, and social justice—form the bedrock of nursing ethics.

Imagine your favorite medical drama – the drama, the emotions, and the stethoscopes. Beyond the adrenaline-pumping scenes, core values are what truly drive the actions of every character. These values serve as silent compasses that ensure every patient receives the care they deserve. Core values aren't just words; they are the lifeblood of nursing, guiding actions and beliefs, and forming the very soul of this profession.

Today, we're diving deep into the heart and soul of nursing—the core values that shape our practice, guide our decisions, and make us the extraordinary caregivers we are. Nursing isn't a run of the mill a job; it's a skill, an art, and a privilege. So, let's roll up our sleeves and explore the five core values that every nurse upholds.

The Quintessential Five: Core Values Every Nurse Upholds

In the world of nursing, five core values serve as the guiding principles that shape every nurse's practice. These values—compassion, integrity, autonomy, altruism, and social justice—form the bedrock of nursing ethics and drive the profession's unwavering commitment to patient care. Let’s review the meaning behind each of these core values.

Compassion: The Heartbeat of Nursing Care

Compassion isn't just a warm and fuzzy feeling; it's the very essence of nursing. If you've ever wondered what makes us different from robots in scrubs, it's compassion. It's that reassuring touch, the empathetic smile, and the comforting words that can make a patient's day a little brighter.

Practical Tip : In the whirlwind of a busy shift, it's easy to lose sight of compassion. But here's a secret: it's the little things that count. Take an extra minute to hold a patient's hand, ask how they're feeling, or simply offer a listening ear. Compassion is often found in the smallest gestures.

Integrity: Building Trust in Every Medical Encounter

Integrity is the bedrock of the nurse-patient relationship. Without it, trust crumbles like a cookie dunked in milk. It's about being honest, transparent, and reliable. Whether you're safeguarding a patient's privacy, explaining a procedure, or keeping promises, integrity ensures trust is not just established but firmly rooted.

Practical Tip : Transparency is key. If you're unsure about something, don't pretend to have all the answers. Admit it, and promise to find out. Patients appreciate honesty and will trust you more for it.

Autonomy: Empowering Patient-Centered Care

Imagine at a moment in your life where you were robbed of your right to make decisions for yourself. Not a fun experience, right? Autonomy in nursing means giving the power back to the patient. It's about respecting their choices, honoring their decisions, and ensuring they always feel in control of their care.

Practical Tip : Engage patients in their care plan. Explain the options, risks, and benefits, and let them make informed decisions. It's their health, after all, and they should have a say in it.

Altruism: Nursing's Selfless Dedication to Wellness

Altruism is the heartbeat of nursing's dedication to wellness. It's the willingness to go above and beyond, all for the satisfaction of making a difference and the sheer love of nursing.

Practical Tip : Remember why you chose this path. On tough days, remind yourself of the smiles you've brought to patients' faces and the impact you've had on their lives. Altruism is what fuels our resilience.

Social Justice: Advocating for Equity in Health

Everyone, regardless of their background, should get the same level of care. That's what nursing aims to achieve through social justice. It's about leveling the playing field, ensuring everyone gets their fair slice, no more, no less.

Practical Tip : Advocate for your patients. Be their voice when they can't speak up for themselves. Challenge disparities and work towards a healthcare system that treats everyone equally.

Bridging Theory and Reality: Core Values in Action

Now that we've dissected the core values, let's see how they play out in the real, unpredictable world of healthcare. These values aren't just inspirational words on posters; they're the lifeblood of our profession.

Theory Meets Practice: Values in Daily Care

On paper, values can sound like lines from an inspirational poster. But in the hustle and bustle of nursing, they're as real as the beeping monitors. Compassion is evident when a nurse holds the hand of a nervous patient. Integrity shines when a nurse stands up for what’s right. Autonomy is upheld when choices are respected. Altruism shows up in every selfless act, and social justice echoes in every advocacy effort.

Here are a few way these values may have shown up in your nursing practice. Check these out and let’s see if you can relate to any of them!

Compassion in Action : You’re holding the hand of a nervous patient before a daunting procedure. Or sitting with a patient after they received bad news.

Integrity Shining Bright : You’re standing up for a patient's rights, ensuring their dignity and privacy are respected. This could be you protecting a patients medical information from being shared inappropriately, or ensuring your patients are kept clean while in your care. That's integrity in the spotlight, ensuring trust remains unshaken.

Autonomy Upheld : Think about times you have explained treatment options to a patient, empowering them to make decisions about their own health. Autonomy is about respecting choices and honoring decisions.

Altruism on Display : Consider the countless time you have gone above and beyond the call of duty, for the sake of a patient's well-being. Altruism is about selfless dedication.

Championing Social Justice : Picture a nurse advocating for better resources and care for underserved communities. That nurse may have been you! That's nursing's commitment to social justice, striving for equitable healthcare for all.

Inspiring Stories: Core Values Illustrated in Real Life

The Assemble community is full of nurses who not only understand these values, but lead by example. Take DoRhonja Nichols, the director of critical care and Behavioral Health Services at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, who saw an gap in care for people of color and worked to find a solution.

She found that the haircare supplies normally provided at hospitals did not meet the needs of people of color. She partnered with a local hair care business that creates products for people of color and began stocking those supplies in her facility. Fixing an issue and improving the quality of care for all patients of color in her hospital.

To hear about her story, how she did it, and what you can do if you want to make a change, check out her talk with Assemble co-founder, Tessi Flood, here !

In Conclusion: The Pillars Elevating the World of Nursing

At the core of nursing are these values—compassion, integrity, autonomy, altruism, and social justice—that shape our practice and define who we are as caregivers. We know this and see this with the Assemble Community!

So, here's to each one of you, making a difference, one value at a time. Whether you're a seasoned nurse or a nursing student embarking on this remarkable journey, never forget the power of these core values. They are the secret spices that make nursing an unforgettable and fulfilling adventure. Cheers to the privilege of being a nurse!

What are the 6 C's of nursing? The 6 C's of nursing are a set of principles that were introduced by the Chief Nursing Officer for England to guide nursing practice. They include: Care: Providing high-quality, compassionate care. Compassion: Showing empathy and understanding towards patients. Competence: Demonstrating clinical and professional competence. Communication: Effective communication with patients and colleagues. Courage: Having the courage to advocate for patients and make difficult decisions. Commitment: Commitment to the profession and continuous improvement in care delivery.
What are the 7 nursing ethics? Nursing ethics encompass a set of moral principles that govern the ethical behavior and decision-making of nurses. While there are various ethical principles in nursing, the seven key nursing ethics often referred to include: Autonomy: Respecting the patient's right to make decisions about their care. Beneficence: Acting in the best interest of the patient and promoting their well-being. Non-Maleficence: Avoiding harm and minimizing risks to patients. Justice: Ensuring fairness and equitable distribution of care. Fidelity: Upholding trust and maintaining promises and commitments. Veracity: Being truthful and honest in all interactions. Confidentiality: Protecting patient information and privacy.
What are the nursing core values and leadership? Nursing core values remain consistent in leadership roles within the profession. These values include the principles of compassion, integrity, altruism, autonomy, and social justice. In leadership, nurses must exemplify these values to inspire and guide their teams, foster a culture of patient-centered care, and advocate for ethical practices within healthcare organizations. Leadership in nursing involves not only managing clinical aspects but also nurturing a values-based approach to healthcare delivery.

Top 25 Professional Nursing Values + Why They're Important

If you are a nurse seeking to find ways to boost your career and your relationships, the best way to start is by developing strong professional nursing values. Maybe you are wondering, “What are the top professional nursing values?” or “How do I learn about professional nursing values?” If that sounds like you, this article is for you. As you continue reading, you will find 25 top professional nursing values and why they are important to successful nursing.

What Exactly are Professional Nursing Values?

7 main reasons why professional values are important in nursing, what are the top professional nursing values, 1. trustworthiness, what is it:, why is it important in nursing:, 2. accountability, 3. compassion, 4. integrity, 5. value diversity, 6. curiosity, 7. autonomy, 8. positive self-esteem, 10. professionalism, 11. desire for excellence, 12. altruism, 13. ingenuity, 14. respect for human dignity, 15. ethical, 16. advocacy, 17. precision, 18. loyalty, 19. cultural humility, 20. dedicated to learning, 21. selflessness, 22. supports social justice, 23. sympathy, 24. professional competency, 25. commitment to nursing, my final thoughts.

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What are the five core values of nursing?

Nursing is a complex and rewarding career, which calls upon a range of core values. Being a nurse is about much more than just practical skills. Instead, it requires well-rounded individuals who know how to approach each new patient with the same caring, trustworthy, professional attitude.

Listed below are 5 of these core values.

1. Empathy

Caring for patients doesn’t just mean taking care of their medical needs. Many people are psychologically impacted by being unwell, which a great nurse will be able to recognize and understand. Calling upon their prior practical training to help deal with the complex needs of patients, nurses know that their profession is (by its very nature) a caring one. Nurses are committed to their vocation.

The job is almost entirely ‘people focused’, and so fantastic nurses tend to be naturally interested in people and curious about them, as well as ensuring their dignity and independence are retained. They’ll be interested in finding out how best to treat their condition and have the caring skills to help put a nursing plan into action.

To get this core value right, nurses must be sensitive to the patient’s feelings and needs, themselves, and their loved ones. Having empathy, they’ll know that caring for someone who is unwell or has long-term conditions can be stressful for those who love them. They may even offer some tips to the patients’ support network, which help boost their care from outside their professional team.

2. Trustworthiness

Being trustworthy is another essential value of all nursing staff. Nurses are entrusted with a high level of confidential personal data and information, as well as the innermost thoughts and feelings of their patients. They need to be up to date on data protection and confidentiality laws as they apply to the medical world. In addition, they must be able to lend a listening ear without relaying that information to other parties (unless specifically requested or discussed as part of treatment).

3. Communication

Nurses are often the first port of call for communicating care outcomes and plans with their patients, whether a home health nurse or working in a traditional medical environment, communicating with both patients and colleagues is essential.

The form of communication that great nurses specialize in is also the culmination of many other skills. They need to be able to carefully (and clearly) explain empathy and understanding, encouraging patients to ask questions if they need to, and making sure they understand what has been said to them.

In addition to verbal communication skills, they should also be able to read physical cues, soothing away worries patients may have about their treatment and condition. In the nursing world, written communication skills are also as necessary as verbal and non-verbal communication.

Nurses are often responsible for communicating with patients’ families. They will use their speech, writing, and overall demeanor to help communicate with and decode the verbal and non-verbal signals of all parties.

4. Critical Thinking

Nurses are often relied upon to decide a program of medical treatment or to administer medication. Knowing how to respond in both routine and unexpected situations is a vital skill of a nursing practitioner.

During every working day, nurses are involved in making decisions that could impact their patients’ lives, so they should always be looking for ways in which they can best be of help. Being a critical thinker means having an organized mindset that works through problem-solving and overcomes assumptions instead of user experience, independent thought, and risk analysis to decide on the best course of action.

5. Professionalism

Nurses must also be authoritative professionals while striking a balance between approachability, friendliness. Patients trust nurses to do the right thing, and each nurse can help enhance the profession’s reputation by adhering to the high standards set by generations of nurses who have gone before.

Nurses Registry was founded in 1925, providing a range of home health care services in and around New Orleans. With skills including nursing, physical therapy, speech therapy, and medical care, the platform provides a helpful resource for prospective patients seeking to enhance their quality of life without the need for full-time residential care.

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Professional Nursing Values: Taking a Closer Look at Core Values

Introduction, conceptual explanation of each core value.

There are different reasons why different individual make a choice of taking up nursing as a lifetime career. These reasons may range from financial gains, personal, love for people, professional, or even for job security. Nevertheless, every individual who make that choice of becoming a nurse enters into a lifetime commitment regardless of his or her reasons of becoming a nurse. Consequently, every nurse commits to observe and adhere to the five core values necessary for taking up a career in nursing. These core values include: human dignity, altruism, integrity, social justice, and autonomy each of which is discussed below.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary of The English Language (1992, p. 522), the term “dignity” is defined as the “quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect” it logically follows that the phrase Human Dignity may be used to denote respect for the inherent worth and uniqueness of individuals and populations. When dignity correlates along with the word “human,” it depicts the concept that each individual man, women, or child (the person) of any race, culture, or ethnic background deserves unconditional respect. The value of human dignity is the ability to have mutual respect for one another as we live together in this world. One would want to remember the “Golden Rule” of treating others as you would want to be treated.

The concept of Altruism is used to depict a genuine concern for the welfare and well-being of others. As defined under the American Dictionary of The English Language, 1992, p. 56 altruism is an unselfish concern for the welfare of others. According to the American Nurses Association (2010), altruism is a core value of every nursing response to provide care to all who are in need regardless of their culture, social, or economic standing” (The American Nurses Association, 2010, p.5).

Altruism is therefore a commitment of every nurse to provide services to others in a selfless way even if it means risking their own safety and health. The welfare of the patient comes first in this line of duty. Chitty & Black (2011) contend that, “practitioners are motivated by service or altruism and consider their work meaningful as oppose to the money made” (Chitty & Black, 2011, p. 66-67). It therefore, follows that health care professionals such as nurses must be dedicated to the ideal of “altruism” to be able to work with the public and the sick patients (some contagious).

Another core value in nursing is the aspect of Integrity. This means acting in accordance with an appropriate code of ethics and accepted standards of practice. The American Heritage Dictionary (1992) defines integrity as the “steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code” (The American Heritage Dictionary of The English Language, 1992, p. 938). Laabs (2011) elaborates that having moral integrity embodies characteristics such as: honesty, trustworthiness, and doing the right thing even when others disagree (Laabs, 2011, p. 433). In addition, a person with integrity “always tries their best to do the right thing, it is not always easy, especially when pressed by time, intimidated by others, not supported in their beliefs, …admitting when one has made a mistake, or has not lived up to one’s moral code and, then doing what one can to make amends” (Laabs, 2011, p. 433).

To put it in a simple way, integrity as a core value of nursing requires that nurses must act and behave ethically, fairly, and honestly in conducting the highest standards of professionalism at all times. Even more important, a nurse commented that, “a person with [moral integrity] will not take short-cuts just because no one else is watching” (Laabs, 2011, p. 434).

The fourth core value of nursing is Autonomy. This term basically means the right to self-determination. The word autonomy is derived from a Greek word Autonomia, which means the condition or quality of being autonomous; independence” (The American Heritage Dictionary of The English Language, 1992, p. 126). According to Varjus, et al. (2011), autonomy may be defined as: The ability to direct one’s own life and to make one’s own decisions… in referring to the profession of nursing, it means the privilege of self-governance and referring to the individual nurses, it means the ability of nurses to make some decisions within their own profession and their right and responsibility to act accordingly to shared standards of that profession.

In addition, Chitty & Black (2011) emphasizes that nursing actions are independent but physicians strongly makes the decisions and supervises many of the nursing activities while nurse practice acts in many states have a role in determining nurses’ actions when authorized by supervising physicians or hospital protocols

Social Justice is the fifth core value in the nursing profession. It means the act of upholding moral, legal, and humanistic principles” Social means “living together in communities, relating to communal living, or relating to society” (The American Heritage Dictionary of The English Language, 1992, p. 1710). Justice on the other hand means upholding of what is just, especially fair treatment and due reward in accordance with honor, standards, or the law (The American Heritage Dictionary of The English Language, 1992, p. 978). In short, social justice is about equality and fairness between human beings.

In a personal communication, January 24, 2012 by Stone a professor at Presbyterian School of Nursing, stated that “as nurses, we are the advocate (fight for patients’ rights, freedom of choice, and equality) for our patients; therefore we question doctors, nurse practitioners, and others about medication dosages etc. when it doesn’t seem right…we speak out for the patients at the bedside when they cannot speak for themselves.” In all, we would build a stronger community and world by “upholding moral, legal, and humanistic principles”.

It therefore goes without saying that at all times; nurses must strive to uphold the aforementioned five core values regardless of the circumstance that they may be faced with. In so doing nurses can be able to treat everyone equally and also be able to put the interest of other before his or hers. This is because the nursing profession is a lifetime commitment to serve others, and all patients as well as their loved ones hold on the commitment of the nurses to adhere to these values. Failure to uphold these values would then result to the public losing faith in the system of healthcare.

Conceptual Explanation of Additional Student Selected Professional Values

It is worth mentioning that nursing is a caring profession. This profession emphasis ices the importance of the caring as it encompasses the connection of nurses with empathy for people. The professional value of caring amongst nurses can only be achieved through the aptitude of nurses to uphold the five core values in the nursing profession; these core values include autonomy, altruism, human dignity, social justice, and integrity. It therefore follows that caring professional nurses have to integrate the aforementioned core values in their day-to-day clinical practice.

Caring as a foundation for relationship is one of the most important professional value as a novice student and as an experienced nurse. Caring is defined as “the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2012). Furthermore, Suliman, et al. (2009) describes caring as a foundation for relationship upon using Watson’s theory on human caring relationships in suggesting that caring is centered on helping the patient in achieving peace within in the mind, body, soul, and through a transpersonal caring relationship.

As Chitty & Black (2011) elaborates on caring, they state that “nurses are encouraged to share their genuine selves with patients while the patients’ spiritual strength is recognized, supported, and encouraged…which leads to development of trusting and accepting relationships which feelings are shared and confidence is inspired ” (Chitty & Black, 2011, p. 309). In all, caring is one of the significant reasons why novice students choose nursing as a career path.

According to Sulimen et al. (2009), there are several caring behaviors which nurses should observe at all times. These behaviors include: appreciating the patient as human beings, showing respect for the patient, being sensitive to the patient, talking with the patient, treating information confidentially, treating patient as an individual, and listening attentively to the patient. (Sulimen et al., 2009, p. 294).

Public Figures Exemplifying Core Values

A public figure who exemplifies these core values of altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice would be my local pharmacist who dispenses prescription medications to patients. Pharmacists aid the general public in answering questions to medication dosages, over the counter products, and to promote health. Pharmacists work in the healthcare field as well and they collaborate with doctors, nurse practitioners, and other health interdisciplinary for the well-being of the patients.

In comparison with the health profession of nurses, the pharmacist profession embodies their own values and beliefs with similar core values that were established in 1852 (founded by the American Pharmaceutical Association). The American Pharmacist Association (APhA), which is the first and largest association of pharmacist in the United States (American Pharmacists Association, 2012). It is worth noting that even the American pharmacists have some code of ethics which they ought to uphold at all times and they are set out under their preamble. Some of these values include inter alia respect of the relationship between the pharmacist and the patient; the pharmacist must also ensure that patients get the right medication, uphold their trust, and committed to safeguard the welfare of the patients.

The pharmacist must also ensure that patients get the right medication, uphold their trust, and committed to safeguard the welfare of the patients.
The pharmacists should also observe patient pharmacist confidentiality
He must also uphold the dignity and autonomy of the patients.
In his professional relationship a pharmacist should uphold the core values of integrity as well as honesty.
Professional proficiency must also be observed at all times.
They should also show respect to the abilities and values of other health practitioners and fellow pharmacist.
They must be ready to sever all persons in need of their services at all times
It is the responsibility of every pharmacist to uphold social justice in his professional services.

The American Pharmacists Association’s (APhA) is very similar to the American Nurse Association’s (ANA) core values of nursing. There are several professional core values that are shared by both the nursing and pharmacists professions such as altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice. Both work in the health care industry and they work to promote health and well-being of the patient. Often a time, they collaborate with each other to bring all of these five core values together as one.

Life Experience of Core Values (Include Cultural Impact Perceptions)

Autonomy– “the right to self-determination”.

Life experiences of autonomy, as a teenager is a duty and not an option in my culture, especially being the eldest girl. I had the responsibility of making decisions on my own, monitoring my siblings as they do their homework, bathing them, and cooking for them. Being the eldest amongst my siblings, every decision made is always looked at with consequences; therefore, one would have to make decisions wisely. As a daughter, one would have to take care of the younger siblings and to help clean and cook around the house. Housekeeping chores are given to the oldest and to the girls. Boys are considered much more important in the family and so they do not have to do anything.

Additionally, in the Hmong culture, we emphasize a more collective approach to decision making which involves the eldest to the extended family members. For instance, if my parents wanted a divorce, both would have to consult the elders to come together and talk about issues. Decision making in this situation is based on the elder’s ruling. The majority of elders will the parties to reconcile and eliminate the chances of a divorce. In all, autonomy in the Hmong ethnic background particularly in decision making is complicated especially among the young generation which is accustomed to the Western’s way of life and decision makings.

Human Dignity — “respect for the inherent worth and uniqueness of individual care”

There are instances where life experience of human dignity would arise such as an opportunity to feed the poor through a church program. In such instances, the Hmong United Methodist Church youth members have the opportunity to make sandwiches and to feed the less fortunate at the Uptown Shelter. This life experience was an eye-opener for me as a young adult. The act of feeding the poor and to serve those in need is an experience that is geared toward achieving human dignity across all social and cultural status and respect for one another regardless of race, color, and sex. In the end, we are all human beings in search of something-love, respect, shelter, self-esteem (using Maslow’s Basic needs).

Altruism–“a concern for the welfare and well-being of others”

The aspect of altruism cut across all aspects of human life from work place, school, or even in the family. In the Hmong culture, the oldest son in the family is the one who is responsible for looking after the elderly parents but since we live in American where the cultural setting is different, some of these traditional practices are not strictly followed. That notwithstanding the Hmong culture emphasizes the responsibility of the children to their parent or the elderly in the society which is clear indication altruism.

Consequently, care and respect for the elders by the young generation is highly emphasized and practiced in the Hmong culture. Altruism may also be reflected through voluntary work such teaching young children in their elementary education. My work experiences include working as a pharmacy technician, phlebotomist, nursing assistant, and a nursing student (clinical) at Presbyterian School of Nursing. All of the above work experiences involve the core value of altruism.

Clinical Examples of Core Values

Human dignity.

An example of human dignity in nursing is treating all persons with equal respect and giving them adequate care regardless of their social status, race, sex, color or religious and political affiliations. All patients must be treated as one would treat his or her loved ones. Another example of this core value is knocking on the patient’s door before entering the patient’s room. Even when they are not well or cannot answer, one should preserve the patient’s dignity. We have to respect our patient all the time because the space has become their home or their environment.

A clinical example of altruism as a core value of nursing may include nurses putting themselves in the way of patients who may be physically aggressive for purposes of safeguarding the wellbeing and safety of other staff and other patients. It can be also demonstrated through taking care of patients with contagious diseases such as TB, MRSA and others diseases like HIV. In addition, this value may be demonstrated through checking the safety of all patients when the nurse clocks in on duty. The student nurse should make sure that the bed is in the lowest position with the call bell at the patient’s side. The student nurse will evaluate the room to see if there are rugs or clutter in the room to prevent falls or injuries. These are an example of altruism because the patient’s welfare and safety is the priority of the student nurse when she starts her shift for the day.

Some clinical example of integrity in the clinical setting is abiding by the hospital protocols and OSHA regulations. As a student nurse, one would want to follow aseptic technique when inserting a Foley Catheter even when the instructor is not around. A student nurse should wash his or her hands before getting into contact with any patient. This is upholding the core value of integrity. Taking care of patients belonging without misplacing or destroying them is also another clinical example of integrity in the nursing profession.

Nurses have the responsibility to give their patients all the facts and consequences of their health choices and give them the opportunity to decide the procedure they would want to take. This is an indication of autonomy in the nursing profession. As a student nurse in clinical, we are not licensed yet but we are allowed to have some decision making in the order of selecting patients in doing a health assessment and checking patient vitals. One could do it in any order but in a systematic way and chart it in the computer system so that the registered nurse could administer medications to patients accordingly.

Social Justice

An example of this core value in clinical would be when a student nurse stands up for a patient who may not be able to speak fluent in English. That patient may require a translator while the doctor is making his rounds to the unit. As a student nurse, one should immediately call to see if there is a translator available for the next doctor round before the patient is discharge. It is therefore the responsibility of the nurse to arrange for a translator to facilitate decrease the frustration of language barrier and increase a better understanding of the patient as a whole (culturally). Language barrier should therefore not be a reason to deny a patient his or her right to quality health care and that is where the exercise of the core value of social justice comes into play.

Summary and Reflection

Each person in the nursing program has various reasons of becoming a nurse. Some examples such as personal, job security, professional education (science), or just love to be around people. Each one of us has decided to take on this life long journey. In an effort to achieve the mission and vision of the nursing profession, every nurse commits to observe and adhere to the five core values necessary for taking up a career in nursing.

These core values include human dignity, altruism, integrity, social justice, and autonomy. Even though there are many other values that ought to be observed in the nursing profession, the aforementioned values form the basis of this profession and they should be upheld at all time regardless of the circumstances. Indeed, these core values help to guide novice students and practitioners in the nursing profession. It should also be noted that culture has a vital role to play in evaluating personal values and trying to reflect on the five core values of this paper.

The nursing career is a demanding profession and it is forever changing in a time of new technologies, but the core values of altruism, autonomy, caring, human dignity, integrity, and social justice will stand firm. These values cannot be separated from a truly professional nurse.

American heritage dictionary of the English language. (1992). Altruism. Social justice, human dignity, integrity, and autonomy. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

American Nurses Association. (2010). Nursing’s social policy statement: The essence of the profession. Silver Spring, MD: Nursebooks. Web.

American Pharmacists Association. (2012). Code of ethics for pharmacist. Web.

Chitty, K., & Black, B., (2011). Professional nursing: Concepts and challenges . St. Louis, MO: Saunders/Elsevier.

Laabs, C., (2011). Perceptions of moral integrity: Contradictions in need of explanation. Nursing Ethics, 18(3), 431-440. Web.

Oxford dictionaries. (2012). “ Caring.” Oxford University Press. Web.

Suliman, W., et al., (2009). Applying Watson’s Nursing Theory to Assess Patient Perceptions of Being Cared for in a Multicultural Environment. Journal of Nursing Research (Taiwan Nurses Association), 17(4), 293-300.

Varjus, S., et al., (2011). Professional autonomy of nurses in hospital settings-a review of the literature. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 25(1), 201-207. Web.

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Nursing Core Values & Why They're Important

Janelle thomas msn, rn.

Nursing extends beyond medical expertise. It involves core values that help develop compassionate and patient-centered care. In this blog post, we’ll explore the core nursing values that serve as the moral compass for nurses worldwide and why these values are paramount in nursing.

The Foundation of Nursing Values

At the heart of nursing lies the value of compassion. Nurses are often the frontline caregivers. Their ability to empathize and connect with patients on a human level sets them apart from everyone else at the hospital. Compassion involves understanding physical pain and recognizing the emotional and psychological aspects of a patient's experience. It creates an environment of trust and comfort.

Integrity is a cornerstone of the nursing profession. Nurses must uphold the highest ethical standards. This means ensuring honesty, transparency, and accountability. Integrity builds trust among patients, their families, and the healthcare team. It involves maintaining confidentiality, being truthful with patients about their conditions, and advocating for ethical decision-making in all aspects of care.

Nurses often advocate for their patients , ensuring their voices are heard and their rights are respected. Advocacy goes beyond administering treatments. It involves campaigning for the patient's best interests. Whether that’s communicating with other healthcare professionals, navigating the healthcare systems, or addressing patient concerns, advocacy is a fundamental value that empowers nurses to be the voice for those under their care.

Importance of Core Nursing Values in Patient Care

Building trusting relationships.

The foundation of nursing values, such as compassion, integrity, and advocacy, contributes to establishing trusting relationships between nurses and their patients. Trust is a critical component in healthcare because it enhances communication , promotes following treatment plans, and leads to better patient outcomes. Patients who feel understood and supported are more likely to participate in their care actively.

Enhancing Patient Satisfaction

Patient satisfaction is at the heart of core nursing values. A compassionate and empathetic approach to care makes patients feel valued and respected. Integrity in communication and decision-making builds confidence. High levels of patient satisfaction are a testament to the quality of care and contribute to a positive reputation for healthcare institutions.

Improving Patient Outcomes

Nurses who prioritize core values contribute to improved patient outcomes. Compassion and empathy create a healing environment that positively influences patients' physical and emotional well-being. Advocacy ensures that patients receive timely and appropriate interventions, and integrity in practice maintains the safety and trustworthiness of healthcare delivery. These factors collectively contribute to positive health outcomes and a higher quality of life for patients.

Core Nursing Values in Professional Development

Fostering a positive work environment.

Nursing values extend beyond patient care to influence the work environment for healthcare professionals. Compassion and collaboration among team members create a positive and supportive workplace culture. Nurses who feel supported and valued are more likely to thrive in their roles, leading to increased job satisfaction and retention.

Professional Growth and Development

Adherence to core nursing values is intertwined with professional growth. Continuing learning and committing to ethical practice are integral to a nurse's career advancement. Pursuing additional certifications, engaging in ongoing education, and participating in professional organizations are ways in which nurses embody the value of continuous improvement.

Leadership and Mentorship

Nurses who embody core values often transition into leadership roles, becoming mentors and role models for everyone around. Leadership in nursing is not only about managerial skills but also about inspiring others through demonstrating values such as integrity, compassion, and advocacy.

Overcoming Challenges Through Nursing Values

Navigating ethical dilemmas.

Ethical challenges are inherent in healthcare, and nurses often face complex dilemmas: core nursing values, particularly integrity, guide nurses in navigating these ethical quandaries. By upholding patient autonomy, beneficence, and justice, nurses can make decisions that align with their values and contribute to ethical healthcare practices.

Managing Emotional Stress

The nature of nursing can be emotionally demanding, as nurses regularly witness illness, suffering, and sometimes loss. Compassion and empathy, fundamental nursing values, serve as coping mechanisms for nurses dealing with emotional stress. Connecting with patients on a human level allows nurses to find meaning and purpose in their work, mitigating the emotional toll that can come with caregiving.

Cultivating Core Nursing Values in Education

Integrating values in nursing curricula.

Nursing education instills core values in future healthcare professionals. From the early stages of nursing education, it should emphasize the importance of values such as compassion, integrity, and advocacy. Integrating case studies, role-playing scenarios, and reflective exercises can help students understand the practical application of these values in real-world healthcare settings.

Clinical Experiences and Role Modeling

Hands-on clinical experiences are invaluable in shaping the values of nursing students. Exposure to compassionate and ethical care through clinical rotations, combined with mentorship from experienced nurses who embody core values, provides students with a holistic understanding of these principles in practice.

Navigating Diversity with Core Nursing Values

Cultural competence and sensitivity.

Nursing values apply universally and are essential in navigating the diverse landscape of patient populations. Cultural competence and sensitivity, rooted in compassion and empathy, ensure that nurses understand and respect their patients' cultural beliefs and practices. This cultural awareness is crucial for providing patient-centered care that is respectful and inclusive.

Advocacy for Diversity and Inclusion

Advocacy, a core nursing value, extends to promoting diversity and inclusion within the nursing profession. Nurses can play a pivotal role in advocating for equal opportunities, fostering an inclusive work environment, and addressing disparities in healthcare. Embracing diversity enhances the richness of perspectives within the nursing community, ultimately benefiting patient care.

Implementing Core Nursing Values in Practice

Reflective practice.

Regular reflection on your practice is a powerful tool for incorporating and strengthening core nursing values. Nurses can engage in self-assessment, considering how they have embodied values such as compassion, integrity, and advocacy in their interactions with patients and colleagues. Reflective practice allows for continuous improvement and reinforces the importance of these values in daily nursing activities.

Interprofessional Collaboration

Interprofessional collaboration is a practical manifestation of nursing values in a healthcare team. Nurses collaborate with physicians, therapists, social workers, and other healthcare professionals to ensure holistic and comprehensive patient care. Respect, communication, and shared values are critical in building effective interdisciplinary teams.

The Future of Nursing Values

Evolution of values in nursing.

As healthcare evolves, so too will the values that guide nursing practice. Technological advancements, changes in healthcare delivery models, and shifting patient demographics will influence how nurses apply core values.

However, the fundamental principles of compassion, integrity, and advocacy remain timeless, serving as the bedrock of nursing practice.

Adapting to Emerging Challenges

Nurses will continue to face new challenges in the ever-changing landscape of healthcare. Adapting to these challenges while upholding core values requires a commitment to continuous learning and a proactive approach to ethical dilemmas . The ability to navigate these challenges will define the resilience and strength of the nursing profession.

Core nursing values are not merely abstract ideals but the guiding principles that shape the essence of nursing practice. From enhancing patient outcomes and fostering a positive work environment to navigating ethical challenges and embracing diversity, these values are the threads that weave together the fabric of nursing excellence. As we navigate the complexities of modern healthcare, let us remember that embodying compassion, integrity, and advocacy is essential to the success of the nursing profession and the well-being of those entrusted to our care.

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Attitudes and Values in Nursing

Good attitudes and values in nursing are the number one qualification required. Nursing is the best choice if you are looking for a career that requires helping, caring, and nurturing. Learning the professional attitudes required in nursing is very important.

In this article, you will learn about different attitudes and core values of nursing. You will come across the attitudes and values a professional nurse should have. By reading this article, you understand why you need quality values and attitudes in nursing and why it is important to have these values when providing medical care or dealing with a patient.

What are attitudes and values in nursing

Nursing is a broad field of study and mainly deals with providing healthcare to the patient. All nurses have unique values, attitudes, and behaviors that are very necessary. This blog provides professional values and their importance in nursing.

Professional nursing values form a basis for good behaviors and values in the nursing discipline. These attitudes and values in nursing are essential and help you as a nurse in making vital decisions in healthcare. As a nursing student, you must show specific values and attitudes to help you carry out the significant nursing role of caring for patients.

What are the 5 essential nursing values?

The following are the five core values of nursing. They include:

Social justice
Human dignity
Self-determination

What are the 10 nursing ethical values?

Before looking at ethical nursing values, it is crucial to understand the difference between ethical values and values in nursing. Moral values offer a structure for nursing behavior evaluation, while nursing values direct nurses’ objectives and actions. The following are ten nursing ethical values; they include:

Professional competency
Accountability
Truthfulness

Quality attitudes of a nurse

If you are passionate about becoming a nurse. You need to understand what kind of attitude a nurse need? This will help you learn a different type of attitude when you need to as a nursing practitioner; they include the following:

A good speaker

Good communication skills are one of the essential qualities of a nurse. You must communicate clearly and positively to your co-workers and patients as a nurse. You must be able to take guidance and instructions from your supervisor, especially during an intense situation

Effective communication with the patient and their families helps meet their needs and provide a patient with quality medical care. Receiving information is very important for every nurse. You must be able to read the treatment charts and understand the treatment plan to minimize thorough instructions.

Knowledgeable

As a nurse, you must have extensive knowledge to provide quality care for patients. You need to have quality skills that you can apply in healthcare theories. To become a certified nurse, you must have a degree through a nursing program that will impart knowledge and give you quality nursing practice.

Every nurse should bring an optimistic attitude to their work. Nursing is emotionally challenging sometimes. Successful nurses know how to remain calm and positive in every situation. A reassuring nurse can act as a leader to inspire optimism and give a positive attitude to co-workers.

Detail-oriented

As a nurse, you must pay close attention or focus on detail. When keeping medical records and developing care plans, you must be careful to avoid making errors. A successful nurse is very keen on detail and completes work on time.

Empathy needs you to be emotionally stable. You must ensure that you do not get angry with patients or co-workers, no matter how hectic your shift is. Nursing is an emotionally demanding discipline that brings a positive atmosphere and reduces sadness.

Effects of nursing attitudes on nursing practice

Understanding attitudes and their effects on nursing practice is essential. Attitude is necessary for nursing. It helps you understand how people figure out issues and processes in care to determine what care plan will be appropriate. You must realize the right nursing attitudes to provide person-centered medical care as a nurse.

This blog helps you examine your attitudes, beliefs, and values. You will discover the functions of perspectives and learn how they are developed and can be reflected in changing attitudes. This helps you to revisit your behaviors that are less effective in nursing.

Benefits of nursing attitudes

A positive attitude in nursing is more vital than in other disciplines. As a healthcare provider, you need to be critical in helping your patient feel comfortable and speed the recovery. You must understand that the patients rely on you to make them feel safe during the scary point of their lives.

Showing compassion and devotion changes the patient’s attitude toward their illness. A good attitude impacts your patient and your work performance as a nurse. A positive attitude helps you overcome the daily pressure in your workplace and allows you to devise a creative solution for a particular issue.

A good attitude helps increase productivity, even when assigned a less-interest task. As a nurse, having a positive attitude helps to handle stress and become more creative during a problematic situation. A good attitude is one of the characteristics that the nursing department looks for when considering nursing employees’ promotions.

How to stay positive in your nursing practice

Nursing is a broad discipline that deals with serious illnesses; therefore, it is a career for courageous individuals. As a nurse practitioner, you play a significant role every day, providing life-saving care and leaving your patients with the hope of better health. With the high pressure and performance in nursing, there are some side effects, such as; constant stress and anxiety, which are unwanted.

Unchecked stress and anxiety in nursing practice can lead to serious health problems and decrease job satisfaction. The following remedies will help you manage stress and stay positive in your nursing career . If you are asking, “what are nursing values in nursing?” The following are tips on how you can demonstrate a positive attitude in nursing; they include:

Try to be careful and conscious in your daily nursing practice
Avoid associating with people who have a negative mindset
Dwell on people and the appreciation they give to you
Your needs should be a priority
Always take time to meditate

Importance of professional values in nursing

The following are importance of professional values from nursing students. They include:

Professional nursing values help to reflect your confidence
Working with professional values in nursing indicates a dedication to the nursing profession, which will help you boost your career to a higher level
Professional nursing values help strengthen interprofessional relationships
Professional nursing values improve patient satisfaction
A nurse with solid professional values are known to be trustworthy and genuine
Nursing professional values help nurses grow and develop professionally and help them build a solid foundation
Professional nursing values, when practiced daily, provide a guide for clinical judgment and decision-making in the patient’s needs for quality nursing care

Types of professional nursing values and attitudes

Human relationships
Effective communication
Professional and individual competent
Precision and accuracy
Professionalism
Responsibility
Sense of obligation

Professional nursing values and attitudes provide a common understanding of the nursing practice . They also offer openness to patients and the members of the community.

Reasons why nurses should understand their values

Nursing is the promotion of health and the prevention of diseases and any injuries through diagnosis and treatment. In the report provided by the international council of nurses, there are positive effects of the professional values of nurses on their attitudes. Nursing involves collaborative care of patients of all ages, families, ethnic groups, and communities to ensure that all individuals have healthy life.

As a nurse, you are prepared and authorized to engage in the general expectations of nursing practice. Professional values in nursing allow all certified nurses to get the legacy of caring for individuals; this helps strengthen the future nursing workforce. Ethics, attitudes, and values are highly related in the nursing profession; this enables nurses to balance the patient’s morality in those of nursing or the medical care profession.

All nurses need to understand their values and attitudes to practice them in their daily life. Personal nursing values are internalized from where you live; therefore, it is important to have societal value to feel accepted; your nursing values helps you have a sense of independence. Nursing professional values are mainly acquired from nursing schools and during nursing practice in hospitals.

Benefits of personal values in nursing

As a nurse, you often handle emergency situations requiring you to make quick decisions and unique skills. Therefore, having values is a number one need in nursing; nursing values provide a behavior framework and help influence essential choices. Below are some benefits of personal values in nursing; they include:

Promotes teamwork among nursing team
Allows nurses to t work effectively together through shared beliefs
It ensures that the provision of quality nursing care is maintained in the future
Help to continue upholding high standards of care

To finalize

In this blog, we have discussed attitudes and values in nursing. We aim to provide nursing students with the necessary knowledge and help them in their professional nursing growth. This article enables you to understand quality nursing values and helps you find ways of applying the importance to practice, which is crucial.

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Importance of Professional Values in Nursing and Healthcare

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Introduction

Any professional group has primary standards called professional values. These values are considered as the guideline and motivation of professional behavior for the members of a certain profession [1]. According to Weis and Schank, professional values are standards for action that are accepted by professional groups and individuals, and are used to evaluate the integrity of the individual or organization. In addition, professional values are necessary to reinforce individuals’ the professional identity and performance. Professional values are rooted in personal values, which are influenced by family, culture, environment, religion, and ethnicity. The process of acquisition such values is gradual and evolutionary and occurs throughout an individual’s lifetime [2].

Nursing is one of the most trusted professions which is rooted in professional ethics and values. Professional nursing values are defined as important professional nursing principles of human dignity, integrity, altruism, and justice that serve as a framework for standards, professional practice, and evaluation. Values play a key role in any profession including the nursing profession. Professional values are articulated in the code of ethics. In India, every newly registered nurse is expected to adhere to the code of ethics and code of professional conduct for nurses developed by Indian Nursing council [3].

Nurses, as the largest health care group, have well-known and important professional values. The use of these values in nursing practice increased the quality of patients care, nurses’ occupational satisfaction, their retention in nursing and commitment to the organization. Professional values are a source to promote nurses’ ethical competencies in clinical settings and dealing with ethical concerns in the present era. Most nurses are aware of ethical issues, but they do not use them in their clinical practice [4]. Furthermore, in many cases, they lack sufficient power and support to demonstrate their reaction in this regard or they are not aware of its importance. Thus, professional values are a solution to the current problems in nursing profession. Today, globalization, migration, nursing shortage, new diseases, ageing population, and demand for high-quality care are complicated issues that result in ethical problems for nurses. Therefore, they are expected to be aware of professional values and apply them to their decision makings while dealing with such ethical problems [5].

Ethics and professional values enlighten the nurses in providing quality of care to their clients. Furthermore, professional values not only influence individuals’ principles, behavior standards but also enable them in the creation of an ethical framework. Weis and Schank argued that professional values are standards for behaviors that are recognized by professional groups and individuals, and are used to evaluate the integrity of the individual or organization. However, according to the International Council of Nurses, the core nursing professional values include caring, activism, professionalism, trust, and justice [4,5].

Values are acquisitive; this means they learned either directly or indirectly by observing others’ behavior. Following academic education, development of professional values in nurses is mainly influenced by experts in the profession, colleagues, patient care situations, and organizational values [6].

Various studies on professional values in different countries have reported that the difference in professional values lies neither in their prioritization nor in their nature. These researches have highlighted that the difference in priorities might be owing to the cultural, social, economic, and religious situations [7]. For instance, Rassin’s study in Israel, demonstrated that priority values were different among the nursing students of different ethnic groups. The study conducted by Shahriari et al., entitled “Ethical values perceived by nurses” indicated that Iranian nurses, due to their religious beliefs, placed more emphasis on preserving patients’ dignity. Two other studies showed that nurses’ knowledge of professional values and how such values influence their behavior is an essential component of nursing care [3,4]. Moreover, some other studies represented that nurses have low knowledge and awareness of professional values do not use them in action to shape their ethical thinking and rely merely on personal experiences or organizational culture as the basis of their ethical responsibility and commitment . Therefore, it is important to obtain the basic information on nurses’ awareness of their professional values in different clinical environments. Furthermore, examining the nurses’ perspective on the importance of professional values in different environments and cultures would help healthcare managers to perceive the differences in professional individuals’ value systems, thereby creating an appropriate working environment for nurses [8]. Moreover, the complexity pertaining to advanced healthcare increases the need to conduct research and provide the basic information for education in the field of professional values and ethics [9].

Nursing Values

Nursing values are the principles and standards that nurses follow to ensure they're doing ethical, quality work. Many nurses and nursing organizations share values with a commitment to respecting their patients and providing excellent comfort, support and treatment through every area of healthcare. Nurses who share these values with their healthcare team may work together more effectively to care for their patients [10,11].

The following list includes some values important to the nursing community:

Human dignity

One of the most important values of nursing is to respect the dignity of their patients. This means treating patients with kindness and thoughtfulness as you provide care, and remembering to consider their emotions about the situation as you talk with them, care for them and educate them about their health. Valuing human dignity also means acknowledging the rights of each patient to choose healthcare services and maintain privacy, which are two other important nursing values.

Integrity

In nursing, integrity is vital to connecting with patients and providing ethical, quality care. Integrity refers to making honest, moral decisions. Nurses should practice integrity in their workplace to meet their health facilities standards for care and aid the recovery of their patients. Patients may have more confidence in nurses who perform their duties with integrity, which makes patients more comfortable and willing to receive necessary treatment for their illnesses or injuries.

Altruism

Altruism for nurses means being considerate of the well-being of your patients and colleagues. You can show this nursing value by advocating for fair treatment of your patient, encouraging fellow nurses to take breaks while you step in and answering questions from patients' families as best as you can. An important part of altruism is to not expect something in return for your care, which means providing care outside of your typical duties or without need for acknowledgement.

Social justice

The value of social justice means understanding and upholding moral and legal healthcare standards for every patient. This involves distributing all services and treatments equally amongst patients who need them. You may practice social justice by actively listening to the needs of individual patients and providing them with treatments and accommodations necessary for their recovery. This way, they feel more comfortable and trust in your team's abilities.

Diversity

Valuing diversity helps nurses stay open-minded and treat patients regardless of their identity or ideals. When you value diversity, you can ensure your treatment of a patient meets moral and ethical standards, makes the patient comfortable and helps them recover from their condition. Diversity in the nursing community may also refer to a healthcare facility's commitment to hiring employees with various backgrounds and identities and treating them all with respect.

Ingenuity

While you typically follow directions and rules as a nurse, ingenuity is a value that encourages critical thinking and helping create treatments and strategies that help patients. As a field of science, healthcare is always changing, and the nurses who work directly with patients often have a deep understanding which aspects of healthcare can change to provide better treatment options and techniques. To practice ingenuity, it's a good idea to continually study medical advancements.

Compassion

Compassion is a value important to nursing because being compassionate helps patients feel respected ruing their medical care. You can show compassion in a variety of ways, like listening to patients' concerns, quickly addressing those concerns and speaking kindly as you administer treatments and ask questions. For many nurses, this is one of the key components to providing quality care.

Trustworthiness

Establishing trust helps nurses better understand the needs of those in their care and increase the chances that a patient cooperates with treatments. Patients who trust their healthcare providers also have less stress and may recover better from their illnesses or injuries. To show your trustworthiness, be interested in how your patient's care is affecting them, answer their questions honestly and tell them important and accurate information as soon as you can.

Accountability

Accountability is another value important in nursing. Being accountable means acknowledging your actions and learning from mistakes, which is especially important for your growth in the nursing profession because each action you take affects patients. A good goal for nurses is to admit your mistakes to supervisors as soon as you realize them, which allows you to correct them and continue to give your patients the quality care they deserve.

Curiosity

The nursing community values curiosity because it encourages nurses to keep learning and improve the skills needed to succeed. Personal and professional curiosity can help you determine your nursing goals, how you measure success and what areas of nursing you have a strong interest. In addition, a sense of curiosity allows you to investigate concerns about treatment and ask questions on the job to learn more about the roles of your colleagues.

Autonomy

Medical autonomy refers to a patient's right to accept or refuse healthcare services like treatments and procedures. This is an ethical nursing value that aims to respect and not influence a patient's healthcare choices, which may make patients feel more at ease and encourage them to seek other healthcare services when they need them. You may show your respect to autonomy by educating patients on their options without bias and supporting their decisions.

Precision

Precision is an important value for nurses because precise, accurate care best fulfills the needs of patients and creates a safe environment for medical procedures and recovery. As a nurse, try to strive for precision in all aspects of your role, including understanding a specific patient's treatment plan, providing families and patients with accurate information and sanitizing all rooms and instruments to avoid germs and bacteria. This can help you maintain the standards of your facility and improve the health of your patients.

Empathy

Another nursing value is empathy, which helps nurses see a situation from their patient's perspective. This allows you to understand more deeply how a patient might feel and what they might need from their medical team, and this can help you administer successful treatment plans. You can use empathy to address a patient's concerns from their point of view, which is helpful when educating them about suggested procedures and understanding how to put them at ease.

Professionalism

For nurses, professionalism is the standard by which they measure their performance and reputation. The specific aspects of your performance and reputation may include your ability to care for patients successfully, your attitude toward colleagues and patients and your ability to work as a team with other nurses and doctors. Maintaining a standard of professionalism ensures that you understand the importance of your job and strive to perform those duties well.

Loyalty

A nurse may value loyalty to their job and their patients. This may mean you dedicate yourself to finishing a patient's treatment, performing all the duties of your job as best as you can and continuing to learn about relevant medical advancements. You can also show you value loyalty by advocating for patients who need your help and trying to resolve every one of their concerns.

Excellence

The nursing community highly values a commitment to providing excellent service. As a nurse, you may strive to improve your knowledge so you can provide your patients with excellent quality support during their time in your facility. Other ways to make excellence a goal are to get involved in creating patient care plans, ask your colleagues questions when you don't understand something and prepare for many situations through continued coursework, practice and studying.

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Citation: Habeeb S (2022) Importance of Professional Values in Nursing and Healthcare. J Pract Prof Nurs 6: 033.

Copyright: © 2022 Saima Habeeb, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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