The Values of the Nursing Profession
Every day, thousands of patients consult a nurse for the care they need in a clinical setting or receive it in a hospital setting. This rewarding profession requires a great deal of kindness and humanity on a daily basis, as the professionals who practice it literally have people's well-being and safety in their hands. Let's discover the fundamental values of the nursing profession.
The Fundamental Values Adopted by the OIIQ Board of Directors
The Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec, also abbreviated as OIIQ, was established to protect the public, oversee the work of nurses, and regulate the right to practice in the province of Quebec.
To this end, professionals who wish to practice as nurses in Quebec must become members in good standing of the Order. To do so, these individuals not only adhere to a professional code of conduct, but they demonstrate the skills required to work properly.
In their daily lives, they are committed to applying care that respects the following values of the nursing profession :
Integrity: Being honest and straightforward, in compliance with the established ethical rules;
Respect for the person: Building a relationship of trust while respecting the person's privacy and right to decide once informed of the essential elements;
Professional autonomy: Being able to make daily decisions that impact patients while assuming their consequences, remaining accountable;
Professional competence: Knowing one's level of agility and competence at work and working within these limits, but also ensuring ongoing training and compliance with best practices;
Excellence of care: Providing quality service to patients at all stages of care delivered, based on the safety and well-being of all;
Professional collaboration: Interacting with other healthcare professionals to provide the best care in an environment conducive to effective communication;
Humanity: Respecting the meaning of this word, i.e. caring for the other according to the words adopted by the Board, which are generosity, tolerance, solidarity, empathy and attention to the other.
Nursing is a Vocation
You have probably already heard the phrase that the nursing profession is a true vocation, haven't you? In a service work for others, where care is provided on a daily basis to ensure the well-being of populations, one must love what one does and have a genuine sense of fulfillment in doing so.
This does not mean, however, that there are no various risks and fears associated with the profession, such as the risks of infection and handling potentially hazardous products, the risks of physical injury, the violence that nurses sometimes have to face, and the psychological risks of emotionally challenging situations to which they are exposed.
In this perspective, it is crucial to remember the values previously exposed, which help mitigate these aspects, as they recall all the benefits of the hours of work spent with diverse clienteles.
Hour after hour, a nurse sees the difference she makes in the community, the well-being she brings to patients, and the advantages of this vocation that she holds dear.
Do these values touch you and would you like to contribute as well? Check out all the available positions with Premier Soin Nordik or contact us for more information!