Learning Objective #1: Identify the importance of values research related to the discipline of nursing

Learning Objective #2: Identify how results from this research can be utilized in program evaluation and explore future nursing research related to values

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Background: Values are standards that guide behavior, needs, and desires. Students bring to their nursing education their own set of values. Integrating student values with those of the profession of nursing is an important outcome in nursing education. The role of faculty in value development is to assist each student to identify his/her own values, role model professional values, and assist in the socialization into the profession of nursing. The purpose of this study is to identify professional values of beginning nursing students, graduating students, and nursing faculty members in order to compare results between the three groups. Methodology: A sample of beginning nursing students, graduating nursing students, and nursing faculty from a baccalaureate nursing program located in the Western United States participated in the study. The Nurses' Professional Values Scale (NPVS), a 44 item Likert-scale instrument, conceptually based from the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses was used. A total mean score for each code statement was calculated and compared between the sample groups. Findings: Results from the study indicated a significant difference in only one code statement (developing knowledge) when comparing all nursing students to nursing faculty. When comparing beginning nursing students to graduating nursing students, beginning nursing students had higher significant mean scores for code statements of privacy and responsibility for nursing judgments. Graduating nursing students demonstrated higher significant mean scores in code statements informed judgment and high quality nursing care. Conclusions: The results of this study were surprising to the researchers. Overall, the methodology seems to provide usable data for evaluation of program outcomes, but the results poses additional questions about curriculum, current admission policy, faculty professional values, comparing professional values of students in other nursing programs, and practicing nurses. Future research and comparisons are needed to adequately answer these and many other questions.