How do nurses cope when values and practice conflict?

Background: A lack of opportunity to express values in nursing practice and a conflict of ideals with organisational constraints are associated with low job satisfaction and high attrition rates.

Aim: To explore the stories of mental health nurses to find how values influence their experience of nursing practice.

Method: Twelve participants, who had between six months', and three years' experience of post-registration practice, were interviewed.

Results: Nurses' values were often established before they started training. Participants described values that were consistent with a commitment to person-centred care and professional and ethical principles expected by governing bodies.

Conclusion: Mental health nurses are aware of the dissonance that arises when there is a conflict between their values and their practice. They respond to this in a variety of ways, notably through acceptance, rejection or innovation.