The Significance of Equality, Care, and Confidentiality in the Nursing Practice
Identify three (EQUALITY, CARE AND CONFIDENTIALITY) core values and explain why these are important within your chosen field of nursing practice.
There are many values that are important within nursing, however, identify the 3 core values to answer your question from the following table. These are all values that are identified in the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2018) Code. Read about how they relate to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
EQUALITY, CARE AND CONFIDENTIALITY
What to include
The module learning outcomes will give you a clue on how to relate your value to your field of nursing.
1. Reflect upon the development of a range of values that influence personal and professional development within your chosen field of nursing.
2. Identify how a values based culture can enhance person/family-centred care within your chosen field of nursing.
3. Consider ethical theories and principles in the context of values based nursing care across the lifespan.
4. Recognise the personal and professional skills required to deliver values-based nursing care.
5. Show how nurses can support the rights of individuals receiving care.
6. Discuss the importance of diversity, equality and social inclusion when delivering value-based nursing care.
INTRODUTION
Approximately 300/400 words (2 paragraphs)
• A definition of what a value is.
• A definition of what a professional value is.
• Why values-based nursing is important.
• 1-3 sentences to signpost the reader to your essay, which should identify the 3 values that you are going to choose and the field of nursing that you are relating this to.
Please note that definitions of each chosen value is not required in the introduction.
Background information:
• Short explanation of the NMC and how the NMC code relates to your essay.
• Short description of your field of nursing.
MAIN BODY
Suggestive arrangement only....
Approximately 1500 words
Main Content:
• Describe your first value.
• Explain how this relates to your field of nursing. Suggestion is to relate this to two areas maximum such as person centred care and ethics
• Describe your second value.
• Explain how this relates to your field of nursing. Suggestion is to relate this to two areas maximum, consider the learning that you have done in the module and the module learning outcomes to give you direction.
• Describe your third value.
• Explain how this relates to your field of nursing. Suggestion is to relate this to two areas maximum, avoid repeating the same aspect with all 3 values
CONCLUSION
Approximately 200 words.
• This is a brief summary your essay with your concluding thoughts.
• No new content should be introduced.
• This section MUST also be referenced
WHAT TO CONSIDER
• Clearly support your discussion with in-text references to contemporary literature, relevant to nursing
• Who says? – when you make a point, who says this is so? Show what evidence you have read to come to your point of view by including a reference
• So what? – once you make a point, so what? You must go on to explain to your readers why this is important and how it relates to your topic and to nursing. Using other supporting references to do so helps strengthen your work and the credibility of your writing
REFERENCES
1EQUALITY
HUMAN RIGHT
1. British Institute of Human Rights (2017) Using human rights as a practitioner.
2. NHS Health Scotland (2016) Human Rights and the Right to Health.
3. Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018) The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates.
4. Scottish Government (2021) New Human Rights Bill.
5. UK Government (2022) Bill of Rights to strengthen freedom of speech and curb bogus human rights claims.
6. United Nations (2020) Human Rights.
7. Bill of Rights (2022). Parliament: House of Commons. Bill no. 1.
8. Equality and Human Rights Commission (2019) The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates.
Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment (no date) Convention rights and principles.
Human Rights Act 1998, c. 42.
2. CARE
PERSONAL CENTRED CARE AND FAMILY CENTRED CARE
1. Glasper, E.A. and Richardson, J. (2010) A textbook of children's and young people's nursing. 2nd edn.Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone.
2. McCormack, B. and McCance, T. (2017) Person-centred practice in nursing and health care : theory and practice. 2nd edn. Chichester, West Sussex ; Oxford ; Ames, Iowa: John Wiley & Sons.
3. McCormack, B., McCance, T., Bulley, C., Brown, D., McMillan, A. and Martin, S. (2021) Fundamentals of person-centred healthcare practice. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.
4. The Health Foundation, 2014. Person-centred care made simple. London
5. Delves-Yates, C. (2022) Essentials of nursing practice. 3rd edn. London ;: SAGE.
6. Glasper, E.A., Coad, J. and Richardson, J. (2015) Children and young people's nursing at a glance Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley Blackwell.
7. Lister, S.E., Hofland, J., Grafton, H. and Wilson, C. (2021) The Royal Marsden manual of clinical nursing procedures Chichester, West Sussex ;: Wiley-Blackwell.
8. Peate, I. and Wild, K. (2018) Nursing practice : knowledge and care Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
9. Renton, S., McGuinness, C.A. and Strachan, E. (2020) Clinical nursing practices Edinburgh ;: Elsevier.
NON-JUDGEMENT CARE
1. Da Cunha Lewin. C. (2022) 'Living with self-harm', Emergency Nurse. 30(2), pp. 16-18.
2. Equality and Human Rights Commission. (2014) Human Rights: Human Lives A Guide to the Human Rights Act for Public Authorities.
3. Governments Equality Office. (2011) The Equality Act, making equality real. London: Government Equality Office.
4. Nevill, M.. (2018) 'Patients' needs trump belies in abortion care', Nursing Standard. 33(8), pp. 13.
5. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). (2018) The Code.
6. Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce. (2022) Does the stigma around drug and people who use them cost lives?
7. Scottish Government. (2021) Tackling the stigma of addiction.
8. Sigurdson, K., Morton, C., Mitchell, B. & Profit, J. (2018) 'Disparities in NICU quality of care: a qualitative study of family and clinician accounts', Journal of Perinatology, 38(5), pp.600-607.
9. Valdez, A. & Park, R. (2021) 'Words matter: Labelling, bias and stigma in nursing', Journal of Advancing Nursing. 77(e33), e33-35.
10. Haixa, M. & Loke, A.Y. (2020) ‘Knowledge of, attitudes towards, and willingness to care for sex workers: Differences between general and mental health nursing students’, Journal of Professional Nursing. 36, pp.346-277.
11. UNAIDS. (2017) ‘Backround note zero discrimination in health care settings’, Geneva; UNAIDS.
CONFIDENTIALITY
1. Zhu, X., Hu, H., Xiong, Z., Zheng, T., Li, L., Zhang, L. and Yang, F. (2021) 'Utilization and professionalism toward social media among undergraduate nursing students', Nursing ethics, 28(2), pp. 297-310.
2. Våga, B.B., Moland, K.M. and Blystad, A. (2016) 'Boundaries of confidentiality in nursing care for mother and child in HIV programmes', Nursing ethics, 23(5), pp. 576-586.
3. Price, B. (2015) 'Respecting patient confidentiality', Nursing standard, 29(22), pp. 50-57.
4. Finch, J. (2019) 'Nurses' duty of confidentiality towards patients', British journal of community nursing, 24(8), pp. 400-403.
5. Barnable, A., Cunning, G. and Parcon, M. (2018) 'Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Confidentiality, Accountability, and E-Professionalism in Relation to Facebook', Nurse educator, 43(1), pp. 28-31.
MORE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
Source 1: How to provide non-judgmental care:
Source 2: How to Practice Active Listening: 16 Examples & Techniques:
Source 3: Privacy and Confidentiality when using the NHS:
Source 4: An example of an open access journal: BMC Nursing, Registered nurses' perceptions and experiences of autonomy: a descriptive phenomenological study:
Source 5: The 6 core values of nursing profession:
Source 6: Nursing Times – squash the use of NT Contributor as a citation:
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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EQUALITY, CARE, AND CONFIDENTIALITY IN THE NURSING PRACTICE
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Values are fundamental beliefs or principles that guide human behavior, influencing our decisions and interactions. They constitute the moral compass by which we navigate life's complexities, shaping our personal and professional lives (Merriam-Webster, 2019). Within the domain of healthcare, particularly nursing, values assume a pivotal role in determining the quality and effectiveness of patient care (Porredi et al., 2021). In this essay, we will explore the significance of values in nursing, focusing specifically on three core values: equality, care, and confidentiality.
A value can be defined as a fundamental belief or principle held by an individual or group, shaping their ethical stance and decision-making processes. These values serve as a moral foundation, distinguishing right from wrong and guiding individuals in their actions.
In the nursing context, professional values encompass the principles and beliefs that underlie the nursing practice. These values not only inform the conduct of individual nurses but also contribute to an overarching ethical framework that guides the nursing profession as a whole. Professional nursing values include altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, honesty, and social justice (Poorchangizi et al., 2019).
Values-based nursing holds immense significance in the healthcare sector, serving as the linchpin for maintaining patient trust and well-being. By adhering to core values, nurses ensure the delivery of patient-centered care that is medically effective and ethically sound. This approach cultivates healthcare environments characterized by empathy and respect nurturing therapeutic relationships between nurses and their patients (Teisberg, Wallace, and O’Hara, 2019).
In the forthcoming discussion, we will delve into the importance of three core nursing values: equality, care, and confidentiality. The principle of equality underscores that all individuals, regardless of their background, merit equal access to healthcare services (European Network of Equality Bodies, 2021). The value of care highlights the essential role of nurses in delivering holistic and compassionate care, addressing not only patients' physical needs but also their emotional and psychological well-being (Karlsson and Pennbrant, 2020). Confidentiality, another core value, safeguards patient privacy and trust by ensuring the protection of sensitive information (Tariq and Hackert, 2023).
These values are not only universally applicable but also particularly indispensable in the nursing profession, where patient welfare reigns supreme. By examining these core values in the nursing context, we will gain a deeper understanding of their practical application and their pivotal role in shaping ethical and compassionate nursing practices. Consequently, this exploration will underscore the critical significance of values-based nursing in delivering high-quality patient care and upholding the integrity of the nursing profession.
The NMC functions as the regulatory authority overseeing nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom. Its primary role involves establishing and maintaining standards, ensuring professional competence, and preserving the ethical integrity of the nursing profession. The NMC Code, a pivotal document in this context, delineates the professional norms and behaviors that nurses and midwives are expected to uphold. This code serves as a foundational framework that underscores the significance of values-based nursing, including core principles like equality, care, and confidentiality (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2018).
Turning our attention to the broader field of nursing, it encompasses a multifaceted array of healthcare roles and environments. Nursing professionals are entrusted with the responsibility of delivering patient care, fostering health, preventing disease, and advocating for the welfare of individuals throughout their life stages. Nursing, as a discipline, encompasses various specializations, such as pediatric nursing, mental health nursing, surgical nursing, and more, each with its unique demands and areas of emphasis. Regardless of the specific specialization, all nurses share a common commitment to delivering care of the highest quality while steadfastly upholding ethical values and principles, as underscored by the NMC Code (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2018).
The three core values that will be discussed include equality, care, and confidentiality. Firstly,