Provision 5
The nurse has moral duties to self as a person of inherent dignity and worth including an expectation of a safe place to work that fosters flourishing, authenticity of self at work, and self-respect through integrity and professional competence.
5.4 Professional Competence
Competence is a self-regarding duty. It affects not only the quality of care rendered but also one’s self-respect and self-esteem, and the meaningfulness of work. Nurses must maintain professional competence and strive for excellence in their nursing practice, whatever the role or setting. Nurses in leadership roles are responsible for developing criteria for the evaluation of nursing practice and for using organizational support of those criteria in both peer and self-assessments.
Professional growth requires a commitment to career-long and lifelong learning. Such learning can be formal or informal. Career-long learning involves keeping abreast of technological and scientific advances in nursing as well as developing a nuanced approach to human relationships, human experiences, and the recognition of who people are as individuals. Reflective learning can be personal self-assessment, analysis, and synthesis of strengths and opportunities for improvement.