Integrity in nursing students: A concept analysis

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this review was to clarify the concept of nursing student integrity. Unlike published reviews that highlight the absence of integrity, the author sought to identify the positive defining characteristics of integrity.

Design: Concept analysis.

Data sources: A literature review was conducted using the Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health, Social Science Index, Psyc Info and Medline. Inclusion criteria included peer reviewed articles, written in English, with no limitation on publication date. The search also revealed that a concept analysis of integrity had not been performed.

Review methods: Walker and Avant's (2005) eight step modification of Wilson's (1963) classic concept analysis procedure was used as the organizing framework to explore how the concept of integrity is defined in the current literature.

Results: Nursing student integrity was analyzed using Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis: concept definition, defining attribute, model, borderline, related and contrary cases, antecedents, consequences and empirical referents (Walker and Avant 2005). Defining attributes to nursing student integrity were honesty, ethical behavior and professionalism. Antecedents to integrity included an academic culture of respect, characterized by student-faculty relationships derived from mutual respect, trust and a shared learning goal.

Conclusions: This review identified honesty, ethical behavior and professionalism as the defining attributes of integrity. The importance of faculty as role models of integrity was paramount in building a culture of honesty. Future research should explore faculty perceptions of their professional role as models of integrity, and faculty perceptions of behaviors that promote a culture of respect.

Keywords: Academic integrity; Integrity; Nursing; Nursing student.