Values in a time of rules

Editorial Values in a time of rules Nursing Ethics 2021, Vol. 28(4) 461–462 ª The Author(s) 2021 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions 10.1177/09697330211022050 journals.sagepub.com/home/nej Anthony Tuckett Curtin University, Australia Rules regarding how we are to behave, how we are to socialise and even about where and when we are to wear a face covering (mask) are saving lives. Some of us might not like it as these rules impact our autonomy. However, autonomy was never a principle giving us licence to do whatever we like, whenever we like. Autonomy has always been a prima facie principle. On reflecting on rules, we know they are open to change. We know this to be very true because we have seen the rules changing about our Covid-19 practices daily, weekly and over the duration of this pandemic. But what of values? I cannot recall who has said something like this before – but ethics is what we do when no one is watching (maybe it was an episode of Frasier all those many years ago)? We might equally say that values are meant to rule us even when no one is watching. Recently, I was asked to write a character reference for a colleague making an application for a role within a department which had a set of core values, namely, integrity, respect, courage and excellence. This got me thinking about the values that various organisations espouse as supporting their mission and vision. If you take a scan of the values from various organisations and a few universities, you may not be surprised to note how similar they are. Would we expect values to vary across organisations like universities, hospitals and some such? Probably not. Values are basic, fundamental guides that identify what is important, determine our actions, define the person/people we seek to be and are the coordinates that point us towards how we treat ourselves and others. Values provide the general guidelines for conduct.1 I am writing this at my new place of employment. This university holds to the same values I list above. I want to look at these Curtin Values and see how these might guide me instructing a nurse, when caring generally, but especially caring for the older person in this pandemic world. I cannot be exhaustive here. As I do not hold to a distinction between my private and public ethics, a goal in any teaching/learning encounter ought to be for me to role model behaviour. So always the value of ‘integrity’ would guide me to engender trust through openness, honesty and consistency. The nurse then communicates clearly what is known and what is unknown and seeks to reduce confusion when looking after her or his patients and the older person in their care. Equally, the value ‘respect’ would have me act professionally with courtesy and consideration of others. Respect then would have the nurse strive to be always well-mannered, planning her or his work to allocate time to really listen to the wants of their patient and always capture a moment to say goodbye and keep to any promises. The value ‘courage’ demands that I lead, take responsibility and question. Here, if I am to role model behaviour to my nurse-as-student, I am expected to embrace challenges and opportunities with agility and purpose, when caring for the older person in this pandemic world the nurse likewise. That is, to strive to meet the older person’s needs as they change as the pandemic rules change, to ‘pivot’ care delivery in an institutional care context that has increasingly isolated the older person, resulting in many experiencing loneliness and depression. In other words, look for new ways of doing that go beyond rules. Corresponding author: Anthony Tuckett, Curtin School of Nursing, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia. Email: anthony.tuckett@curtin.edu.au 462 Nursing Ethics 28(4) Finally, if I am to reflect the value of excellence, I must strive to offer exceptional levels of service. I wonder if I meet this standard? Around us, during the 2020 International Year of the Nurse and Midwife – and as I write this editorial on the International Day of the Nurse – I am acutely aware of how the world has been in awe of nurses across the planet who have provided tireless ordinary, extraordinary and exceptional levels of service to those in need in this pandemic world. Nurses have much to be proud of. Reference 1. Mintz S. What are values? Ethics Sage: Sharing my wisdom on all things ethical, 2018, https://www.ethicssage.com/ 2018/08/what-are-values.html