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Altruism, honesty and religiosity in nursing students

Author

Listed:
  • Fiona Timmins
  • Carole King
  • Jan MA de Vries
  • Martin Johnson
  • John G Cullen
  • Carol Haigh

Abstract

Aims and objectives To identify, at different stages of nursing education, the extent to which nursing students appreciate altruism, honesty, religiosity and other, sometimes contrasting, values in practice. Background Nursing is informed by values that guide care ethos and activities. Embodiment of these core values has become a matter of concern. Reports outlining deficiencies in health care followed by polemics in nursing journals have called into question whether nursing students are sufficiently motivated by values and educated in their application. This study explores these values among undergraduate nursing students in the Republic of Ireland. Considering the strong religious tradition in health care in Ireland, religiosity was also included. Design A link to an online survey was distributed via email to all nursing students in the thirteen Schools of Nursing in the Republic of Ireland. Method Quantitative data were collected using an adaptation of the Salford‐Scott (Journal of Advanced Nursing, 57(8), 2007, 366) Nursing Values Questionnaire. Results Participants (n = 158) reported positively to statements related to honesty and altruism. Both altruism and religiosity received support, but the latter was to a lesser extent. Students considered their professionalism more important than altruism, and honesty varied according to the situation. Conclusions This study adds new information by confirming that students exhibit support for two of the most essential values in nursing: altruism and honesty. The adapted Salford‐Scott instrument has shown reliability and promise in further empirical study in nursing. Relevance to clinical practice Priority given to professionalism over altruism reflects concerns highlighted in the international literature around overly task‐oriented care in which compassion gets lost. Also, when loyalty supersedes honesty, problems with accountability in health care may emerge. Uncertainty around religiosity in health care may reflect limitations in competence in nurses to relate to patients with religions or spirituality other than their own.

Suggested Citation

  • Fiona Timmins & Carole King & Jan MA de Vries & Martin Johnson & John G Cullen & Carol Haigh, 2018. "Altruism, honesty and religiosity in nursing students," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(19-20), pages 3687-3698, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jocnur:v:27:y:2018:i:19-20:p:3687-3698
    DOI: 10.1111/jocn.14374
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wilfred McSherry & Steve Jamieson, 2011. "An online survey of nurses’ perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(11‐12), pages 1757-1767, June.
    2. Fiona Timmins & Jan MA de Vries, 2015. "Editorial: Follow the yellow brick road‐ the compassion deficit debate where to from here?," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(19-20), pages 2689-2694, October.
    3. la Cour, Peter & Hvidt, Niels C., 2010. "Research on meaning-making and health in secular society: Secular, spiritual and religious existential orientations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(7), pages 1292-1299, October.
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