THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRITY IN NURSING OMOTADE AKINWANDE COASTAL BEND COLLEGE BEEVILLE TEXAS, 78102Abstract What is integrity? The meaning is wide and broad in related to nursing, it must be personal integrity and professional integrity working together for an excellent output in managing patients. Integrity is defined as the quality of being honest and fair; with high moral principles such as respect and kindness. When nurses take care to preserve their integrity, the task of truly caring for their patients becomes much easier. When you are having challenges as a nurse, your integrity is what will keep you standing tall and proud.

To have a high degree of integrity in your nursing career, and in your day-to-day life, is the ability to know, that you are doing the right thing by everyone. Your honesty, forthrightness, ability to keep confidences and overall trustworthiness cannot be put on. Your patients will see who you are and count on you to do the right thing as it relates to their care and comfort. This is because you truly want the best for them. This kind of trust relationship is what makes a successful nurse with core character traits such as honesty, humility and compassion. Integrity is very important in nursing.  Integrity is living up to one’s standard and having moral qualities, it can also be viewed as a personal and social virtue.

Emphasizing the point that integrity is made up of different values, it also correlates an individual’s action and self – understanding. When an individual identifies himself or herself as a nurse, there are often underlying personal characteristics that accompany. For example, most nurses will identify themselves as caring individuals while still at nursing school. Ultimately, acting within an individual’s self-understanding is a demonstration of integrity. Caring is best demonstrated by a nurse’s ability to embody the five core values of professionalism in nursing, and integrity is one of them. Nurses are the heart and soul of the healthcare system. Integrity is a complex set of values that must be considered, a relational framework of values that exists for defined communities and individuals.

In defining and understanding healthcare, one cannot only look at the integrity of the nurse, the patient’s integrity also is being maintained and is of utmost importance to provide ethical, moral, safe patient care. It is essential for nurses to understand the meaning of integrity in nursing, it is of utmost importance to understand the necessity of maintaining integrity in one’s practice so that the nurse and the patient’s sense of self is preserved, and that practice is based on respect with moral and ethical soundness. Being morally accountable and responsible for one’s judgement and actions is central to the nurse’s role as a moral agent.

Nurses who practice with moral integrity possess a strong sense of themselves and act in ways consistent with what they understand is the right thing to do. Integrity is one of the most critical aspects of nursing care. It can be expressed in both words and actions. It is most effectively expressed when the nurse’s words match their actions. It is defined as the quality of being honest and fair.

Having high moral principles when you are facing difficulties as a nurse, your integrity is what will keep you standing tall, and proud. Having a high degree of integrity in your nursing career and in your day to day life, is the ability to know that you are doing the right thing by everyone. Your honesty, forthrightness, ability to keep confidences and overall trustworthiness cannot be put on. Your patients will see who you are and count on you to do the right thing as it pertains to their care and comfort.

This is because you truly want the best for them, this kind of trust relationship is what makes a successful nurse. A nurse who possesses integrity among her distinguished qualities is well suited for success in patient care. Conclusively, with the above stated which analyzed the importance of integrity.References1Edgar A & Pattison S (2011) Integrity: is it relevant to modern healthcareTyreman S (2011) Integrity and the moral complexity of professional practice