Principles for inclusive practice

We have taken the 10 Essential Shared Capabilities (ESCs) – which underpinned the development of workforce capabilities for socially inclusive practice (Hope 2004; Department of Health et al 2007) to adapt into ‘principles for practice’ for nurses working across communities and health settings. These principles can achieve safe, ethical and fair practice for a socially inclusive approach to delivery of nursing care and are supported by the NMC Code of Professional Conduct (Nursing and Midwifery Council 2008).

Nurses work in partnership

Nurses are committed to working in partnership with the public and wider community networks.
Nurses possess interpersonal skills to build effective relationships and networks in the development of opportunities to access healthcare.
Nurses work with individuals and communities to develop imaginative solutions to access relevant mainstream care and services.

Nurses respect diversity

Nurses are committed to developing innovative practices which reflect the equality duties (Government Equalities Office 2008).
Nurses actively promote equality of opportunity for all individuals and communities.
Nurses underpin their practice with explicit values of justice and fairness; and respect the unique identity and needs of people.

Nurses practice ethically

Nurses comply with their professional code of practice to develop care and services which have meaning and integrity.
Nurses provide dignified care, promoting human rights.
Nurses manage individual and complex situations and are aware of the limits to their knowledge and skills.

Nurses challenge inequalities

Nurses challenge and address the causes and effects of exclusion and health inequalities: poverty, poor housing, homelessness, stigma and discrimination, forced mobility, poor education.
Nurses influence other providers and commissioners to develop services which are accessible and inclusive.
Nurses advocate on behalf of excluded individuals and communities to create a fair society.

Nurses promote recovery

Nurses respect that recovery is what people experience themselves and is not a health ‘intervention’.
Nurses support individuals to make their own choices and decisions – demonstrating hope and optimism towards recovery.
Nurses are creative in promoting opportunities for people to achieve a valued and positive lifestyle.

Nurses identify people’s needs and strengths

Nurses use advanced assessment skills which focuses on the strengths and needs of individuals and their support networks.
Nurses are able to work with complexity, recognising the holistic needs and individual situations of people.
Nurses appreciate and respect that people have a right to make choices and manage their own recovery.

Nurses provide person-centred care

Nurses work collaboratively to establish goals and outcomes which are from the perspective of the individual.
Nurses are highly skilled to build trusting relationships with individuals which elicits ‘what matters’ to them.
Nurses create relationships with a wide range of community services to facilitate matching of opportunities to unique needs.

Nurses make a difference

Nurses are committed to delivering high quality care which is based on the needs of individuals and communities and is underpinned by values and evidence.
Nurses act as an expert resource for other practitioners and community organisations.
Nurses challenge others to improve services which are inclusive, based on best practices and have involved the public and communities in the development.

Nurses promote safety and positive risk taking

Nurses work with the tensions of providing safe care and services, and the risks for individuals and communities.
Nurses work as part of a team to ensure that risk assessments are informed by sound knowledge and involvement of the individual and their family/friends.
Nurses maintain their knowledge and skills to a high level, working within their level of competence.

Nurses ensure their own personal development and learning

Nurses are committed to life-long learning, reflective practice and supervision to ensure that they work inclusively.
Nurses contribute to the body of knowledge of socially inclusive practice and influence the research and practice development agenda.
Nurses ensure that appraisals and personal development plans.