5 Essential Nursing Core Values

Values are like guideposts, highlighting important truths. Nursing core values help guide the profession amongst changes in technology, health systems, and culture. Values are the foundational underpinning that ethical principles and nursing theories are built on. But what are core values in nursing, and what do they look like in practical terms? Let’s explore five core values for nursing professionals.

5 Core Values of Nursing

1. Altruism

Altruism, or the unselfish concern for others’ well-being, is what drives many nurses, making it one of the most important core nursing values. Altruism in nursing doesn’t involve self-sacrifice or grand gestures, but consistently showing up for patients when they are at their most vulnerable. This core value requires compassion and empathy, as well as a lack of judgment about others.

Examples of nursing altruism include:

• Staying to answer a patient’s questions even after you’ve given hand-off to the next nurse
• Advocating for better pain control when you feel a patient’s concerns aren’t being taken seriously
• Explaining a new diagnosis in plain language, making sure the patient truly understands

2. Patient Dignity

Nursing relies on the central belief that every person is worthy of respect and care. Granting patients dignity means preserving their autonomy, respecting their decisions, and upholding their wishes. Nurses uphold patient dignity by being advocates and striving for each patient to receive the care they deserve.

Examples of preserving patient dignity include:

• Ensuring proper draping and privacy during exams or hygiene assistance
• Addressing patients by their preferred name and pronouns
• Clarifying advanced directive orders to ensure they align with patient wishes

3. Integrity

Nurses are entrusted with sensitive information, high-stakes decisions, and vulnerable human lives. Integrity means doing what’s right, even when it’s inconvenient, scary, or will go unnoticed. It’s a moral imperative that makes trust between nurses, patients, and other staff possible.

Examples of integrity in nursing include:

• Stopping in the midst of a busy med pass to look up a medication you’re unfamiliar with
• Realizing you’ve made a mistake and reporting it to the charge nurse
• Correcting a colleague respectfully if you witness a breach in sterile technique

4. Social Justice

Health is deeply influenced by economics, racial dynamics, social systems, and genetics — not just personal decisions. Social justice calls nurses to not just observe the ways that these variables impact individuals and communities, but also to respond and advocate for better health for everyone. Nurses promote social justice at the bedside, in leadership, through policy decisions, and other avenues.

Examples of social justice in nursing include:

• Advocating for the acquisition of a translation service in a rural community health clinic
• Identifying when a patient’s noncompliance may actually reflect financial hardship or limited health literacy
• Advocating for discharge plans that are realistic based on a patient’s home environment

5. Courage

It takes courage to be a new nurse, to start over in a new specialty, or to speak up when things feel off. Addressing workplace incivility, setting professional boundaries, and acknowledging when you need help also takes courage. Nurses have to have the strength to admit uncertainty, to own mistakes, and to learn from them.

Examples of courage in nursing include:

• Activating a rapid response when you sense a patient is declining, even if others aren’t convinced yet
• Setting boundaries with patients or families who are verbally aggressive
• Reporting unethical or unsafe practices despite potential backlash

Nursing Core Values FAQ

What’s the difference between core values and a code of ethics?

While values are internal and personal (though shaped by the profession), ethics are external and shared. A nurse’s values may inspire them to act, but ethical standards determine the boundaries and responsibilities of that action. Learn more about the nursing code of ethics.

Why are core values important?

While they might sound theoretical, values provide a moral compass to the profession. They help define what nursing aims to achieve as a profession and a service. They also highlight qualities that individual nurses strive to embody in everyday practice, and provide general guidelines for behavior.

How are nursing values taught?

Values are taught primarily through modeling and observation. Much of this learning happens in clinical settings, where students observe how experienced nurses communicate, advocate, document, and make decisions under pressure. Values are also shaped by workplace culture, and nurses continue to learn and reinforce core values throughout their careers.

What if a nurse violates core values?

Violations of core values can have serious consequences, depending on the nature and severity of the behavior. Some issues may be addressed through corrective feedback, additional training, or performance improvement plans. More serious violations — such as breaches of confidentiality, falsified documentation, discrimination, or unsafe practice — can result in disciplinary action by an employer or even investigation by a state board of nursing.

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