A Search For Meaning And Identity By Hafferty

A definition of a value is not easy to define exactly. They are something primary and personal to each of us. Our values help us navigate our personal and professional lives and guide us in making decisions. Considered our internal compass, they help give us direction and point out our true selves, values are the starting points for morality and ethics. They are developed throughout the course of our lives, taking from all of our life experiences. This lifelong collaboration and interaction of values, morals and ethics is what defines who we are. But there is a hierarchy to our values, some are transient and adaptable while others hold more worth, influencing the judgments we make. These values are our foundation, and they will never change,
But education has challenged my understanding of self and my opinion has changed, considering the possibility that at our center, all nurses must be somewhat optimistic. In the article, A Search For Meaning and Identity, author Hafferty, (2006) stated that “medicine is a moral community, the practice of medicine a moral undertaking, and professionalism a moral commitment”. The Vibra Mission statement describes their goal as the following:
Vibra Mission: We at Vibra Healthcare are dedicated to providing patient care with a commitment to clinical service excellence, a culture that inspires teamwork and a passionate workforce driven by a dedication to patient wellness. Recognizing clinical excellence with respect to knowledge, their scholarly approach to clinical practice (Vibra,
That being said, nurses are often placed in situations by these organizations, that exceed their moral limits or violate their professional standards, creating a need to compromise and accept or make a conscientious objection not to participate. In healthcare, the definition of conscientious objection (Lamb, 2016) is the rejection of some action by a healthcare provider, due to the action violating moral or ethical values regarding right and wrong (Odell, Abhyankar, Malcom, & Rua, 2014). These characteristics include violating a nurse’s inner sense that distinguishes right acts from wrong actions, the internalization of parental and social norms, and a reflection of the integrity and wholeness of the person (Benjamin, 2004). The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (2017) states that, “Nurses have a duty to remain consistent with both their personal and professional values and to accept compromise only to the degree that it remains an integrity-preserving compromise”. But regardless of our rights, despite the justifications or the risk to the nurse or patient, refusing an assignment for whatever reason can result in an act of abandonment, and threaten our job. Our conscience is challenged and the focus is the cause of stress, and it becomes our own moral responsibility for the application of