Values-Based Nursing and Fitness to Practice Issues

Values are often viewed as a reflection of moral, personal and cultural beliefs. Yet nurses are challenged with the additional consideration of professional values. In the United Kingdom (UK), the values that underpin the profession are articulated within the regulatory guidance from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). This guidance is a measurable tool of both practice and behaviour, and falling short of this standard raises the question of fitness to practise. This chapter explores the importance of values and how these values not only underpin practice but determine fitness to Practise.