Contributors: Professors Ayla Kaya and Ilkay Boz

Authors – Ayla Kaya, RN, Phd; and İlkay Boz, RN, PhD

First published – 2019

Major Concepts

• Individual values
• Professional values of nurses
• Nursing care quality

Typology – mid-range theoretical model

Brief Description

The Professional Values Model (PVM) in Nursing was synthesized based on the authors’ expert opinions and experiences on nursing ethics and by reviewing contemporary literature. PVM defines the relationships between professional values and job satisfaction, patient satisfaction, and patient care, with an emphasis on awareness of professional values in nursing. Defining professional values and related concepts is expected to mediate increased patient satisfaction, nurses’ job satisfaction, and the quality of nursing care. In other words, high professional values in nursing increase job satisfaction, which leads to increased patient care and satisfaction. In addition, individual characteristics are effective in determining individual needs, priorities and values. Future studies based on PVM may reveal whether the model helps nurses deliver more effective care and increase both patient satisfaction and nurses’ job satisfaction. Using the model in future studies with different samples and cultures will make great contributions to the evaluation of the functionality of PVM. It is our expectation that future data with PVM in different cohorts with different cultures will greatly contribute to the evaluation of the functionality of PVM. The Professional Values Model appears appropriate for nurse managers, and testing it is expected to improve it. Application of the Professional Values Model by nurse managers can increase the motivation of the nurses they work with. It is suggested that the guidance of the Professional Values Model may be helpful in increasing the motivational efforts of nurse managers and therefore should be taken into consideration. In other words, the model emphasizes the factors that have a direct and indirect effect on the health behavior of the individual, the individual values of the individuals who will receive care and the nurses, and the importance of the professional values of the nurses. By explaining the logical relationship between these concepts in the model, the importance of individual and professional values, high patient satisfaction and job satisfaction of nurses, and responsibilities in achieving quality nursing care are included. PDM consists of three basic concepts: “Individual Values”, “Professional Values of the Nurse” and “Nursing Care Quality”.

The figure was developed by researchers in line with the literature. The Professional Values Model (PVM) in Nursing emphasizes the importance of the values of individuals receiving care and the professional values of nurses. The figure explains the relationships between these two concepts and their responsibilities for increasing patient satisfaction and nurses’ job satisfaction and access to quality care (Figure). Every person has individual, social and cultural values. These are discussed in the Figure as the Conceptual Framework of the Professional Values Model. According to the model, individuals can gain new knowledge by gaining professional experience, adapt their own values to new situations and improve their professional values. Perceived professional values and job satisfaction play a very important role in the lives of nurses. Also important is the fact that developing professional values increases individuals’ satisfaction with the care given to them, nurses’ job satisfaction, and the quality of nursing care. This relationship is described in PVM.

Primary Sources

Kaya, Ayla, & Dalgiç, Ayşegül Işler. (2021). It is possible to develop the professional values of nurses. Nursing Ethics, 28(4), 515–528. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020952135

Kaya, A., & Boz, İ. (2019). The development of the professional values model in nursing. Nursing Ethics, 26(3), 914-923.

Authors

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayla KAYA
Kaya graduated from Mersin University School of Nursing in 2005. She received her master’s degree in Nursing Management from Akdeniz University in 2013 and her doctorate degree from the same university in 2019. Dr Kaya has been working in Antalya Turkey as a clinical nurse between 2001 and 2014, and as an academic nurse since 2014. Kaya based her doctoral thesis on the model she developed, the Professional Values Model in Nursing. The Professional Values Model in Nursing (PVM), which she developed with Dr. Boz, is unique in that it is the first model developed for nurses in Turkey. Dr Kaya has been continuing her national and international studies on Professional values in Nursing since 2017.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlkay BOZ
Dr. BOZ graduated from Dokuz Eylül University School of Nursing in 2000, Master’s Degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing in 2005 and PhD in 2012 at the same university. Since 2005, Dr. BOZ has been working at Akdeniz University Faculty of Nursing, Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology Nursing, Antalya TURKEY. By basing her doctoral thesis on Jean Watson’s Human Caring Theory, Dr. BOZ became the first researcher in Turkey to use this theory at the doctoral level and the first researcher in the world to test the theory with the first RCT study. Since 2008, Dr. BOZ has been continuing her national and international studies on Human Caring Theory. Since 2014, Dr. BOZ has been working intensively in the fields of Developing Caring Behaviors and Caring Leadership. She conducts Caring Behaviors Development courses. Since 2022, Dr. BOZ has been selected as the Global Contact of Turkey by Watson Caring Science Institute. Dr. BOZ is one of the editors and authors of Postmodern Nursing, Human Care Theory published in 2020. Also she is one of the translation editors and authors of the book “Creating a Caring Science Curriculum A Relational Emancipatory Pedagogy for Nursing” published in 2022 in Turkey.