Comparing Professional Values of Sophomore and Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students

Background: The 2015 American Nurses' Association Code of Ethics reinforces professional values in nursing, and nurse educators may need evidence of their students' professional development. Method: Using the Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised (NPVS-R), researchers examined two questions: What is the relative importance of professional values (i.e., caring, trust, justice, activism, and professionalism) for beginning and graduating baccalaureate nursing students, and are there differences in professional values between these students? Results: New and graduating nursing students in the current study had well-developed professional values. Sophomore-level nursing students viewed trust, caring, and justice as significantly more important than activism. Senior-level students perceived trust as significantly more important than activism and professionalism. Although total NPVS-R scores did not differ significantly between cohorts, senior-level students did score significantly higher on activism than sophomore-level students. Conclusion: With the revised Code, nurse educators may reevaluate the ethics curriculum. This study suggests opportunity for strengthening values beyond the nurse-client relationship, such as activism and professionalism.