2009 MAGNET™ PROFILES - American Nurse Today

MAGNET PROFILES
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eas were represented, including
medicine, surgery, heart hospital,
maternal-child health, psychiatry,
transplant, and rehabilitation.
Nurses from the risk management,
hospital quality, infection control,
and research departments also were
represented. Respondents’ years of
experience as an RN ranged from 1
to 54; 29% had less than 10 years’
experience, 22% had 11 to 20 years,
28% had 21 to 30 years, and 17%
had more than 30 years.
Frequently reported nursingcare
values
The five most frequently reported
nursing-care values were:
• respect and teamwork (each
identified by 30% of respondents)
• caring (identified by 26%)
• integrity (26%)
• compassion (24%).
Less frequently reported values were:
• professional compensation/benefits (13%)
• education; safety (11% each)
• competence; nurse/patient ratio (10% each)
• quality (9%)
• dedication; knowledge (7% each)
• patient satisfaction; excellence (6% each)
• autonomy (5%).
All other values listed were identified by less
than 5% of respondents.
When it came to the value of teamwork, researchers
found a significant difference based on
years of experience: RNs who had less experience
were more likely to identify teamwork as a value
than those with more experience.
Departmental and position differences
Nursing-care values also differed significantly by
department:
• Nurses in medicine, surgery, rehabilitation,
and ambulatory units more often identified respect
as a value.
• Nurses in the heart and medicine units more
often identified caring as a value.
• Nurses in the heart hospital more often identified
integrity as a value.
• Nurses in the psychiatry and transplant units
more commonly identified compassion as a
value.
Researchers also found significant differences
in values based on the respondent’s position.
Those in leadership roles (nurse educators, managers,
and nurse practitioners) were more likely
Understanding the study methods
After the Institutional Review Board approved the philosophy of nursing study,
all hospital registered nurses (RNs) received a 1-page, open-ended questionnaire.
Besides collecting demographic data (such as department, current position,
number of years as an RN, and number of years employed at the hospital), the
survey asked respondents to indicate the three values they considered most important
to nursing care.
Researchers computed descriptive data for background variables. All nursingcare
values identified by respondents were listed and the frequency of their occurrence
was tabulated. The task force then held focus groups with Magnet
champions from each unit to help validate the responses and collapse categories
where responses were similar. For example, the values “patient respect,”“respect
for patients,”“respectful,” and “respect for others” were all collapsed into the “respect”
category. Then the identified values were collapsed into similar categories
based on group consensus.
Data analysis included identifying the most frequently cited categories of values.
T tests were done to determine differences in reports of values based on respondents’
years of experience. Researchers used single-predictor logistic regression
analyses to examine how the top five values varied by position type and
clinical department.
than others to identify competence, research, and
evidence-based practice as core values.
Implications
Developing and revising a philosophy of nursing
care hinges on clinical nursing staff involvement.
For the work to have direct relevance and meaning
in guiding everyday clinical practice, stakeholders
at all levels must be involved.
Outcome
After analysis of the research data, each nurse received
a clip badge listing the top five nursing-care
values to add to her or his nametag. Immediate
plans are to add unit plaques with the top nursing
values and to disseminate information about core
nursing values throughout the hospital system in
grand rounds and research day presentations. In a
qualitative study component subsequently initiated,
nurses from each unit were asked how the topidentified
values guide their nursing care; data will
be available to inform the next phase of the study.
Nurse leaders in other hospitals have expressed interest
in replicating the study so they can update their
facilities’ nursing philosophy. Comparative analyses
are likely to be initiated to determine similarities and
differences based on hospital type, patient and nurse
characteristics, and facility mission and goals. Based
on presentation of this project’s core research at an
international nursing conference, cross-cultural
projects are likely to be initiated as well.
■
The authors were members of the Philosophy of Nursing Task Force at the
Department of Nursing, Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, New York, when this article
was written.
52 American Nurse Today Volume 4, Number 8