Survey on the Observance of Professional Values in the Clinical Nurses of Kerman University of Medical Sciences in 2016

Nursing professional values, guiding actions that are necessary for development of nursing profession. It can used as a basis for decision-making in professional nursing procedures. However, there is limited research about this matter in Iran. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of observance of professional values in the clinical nurses.

In this cross-sectional study, 260 nurses who working in hospitals affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences were selected using stratified random sampling method. Data were collected using a two-part questionnaire that included demographic variables and Nursing Professional Values Scale - Revised (NPVS-R) questionnaire ,with the reliability and validity 0.92 of the tool. Data were analyzed using descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and analytic statistical tests (Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis) using SPSS software version 19.

 The total average score of nurses' professional values was 102.70±16.64 and the highest mean score was allocated to each of the dimensions of care (4.21±0.48), justice (4.13±1.37), trust (4.11±0.82), professionalism (3.80±0.95) and activism(3.52±0.70) .There was a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the employment status and type of ward with total mean score of professional values, however, there was no significant relationship with other variables (significant level p <0.05).

According to the results, the status of nurses is nearly favorable for professional values. therefore, activities for internalization and promotion of nursing professional values is necessary.