The Relationship between Personal (Instrumental and Terminal) and Professional Values among Nurses in Hospitals Affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Congruity of values in workplace has a determining effect on personal and organizational outcomes. On the other hand, nurses provide invaluable services during the difficult times of sickness. The aim of this research was thus to investigate the relationship between personal and professional values among nurses working in hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. In a cross-sectional study, stratified sampling was used to select 103 nurses who were working in hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences during 2010. Their values were investigated by valid and reliable Rokeach Value Survey (RVS) and the Nursing Professional Values Scale (Weis and Schank). The collected data was analyzed by SPSS16. Our findings revealed a significant relationship between personal and professional values (P < 0.05). In fact, nurses felt congruity in their important values such as inner harmony with security, loyalty with trust and security, or a world at peace with honesty. In addition, although some personal values like freedom, creativity, obedience, and amnesty were significantly different between men and women (P < 0.05), no significant differences in professional values were observed between the two sexes. Our results showed that a congruity between personal and professional values among nurses. It can be concluded that congruity between personal and professional values would lead to appropriate person-job and person-organization relations.