We believe that environment encompasses all the internal and external influences affecting people. We acknowledge that we live in a world where global events can influence health locally. We believe that the health of individuals, families, and communities is a perceived state which fluctuates throughout the lifespan. The perceptions of individuals, families, and communities influence their reactions to the environment that lead to actions which promote, maintain, or compromise health. Health is influenced by cultural, social, economic, political, environmental and technological forces, and is expressed through the physiologic, psychosocial and spiritual domains.
Health is the right of every individual and health care is the responsibility of society.
We recognize that we live in a pluralistic, multicultural world in which nurses value and protect individual rights and freedoms. Health care must be accessible to all persons in society. Nursing strives to provide affordable health care and preventive services in diverse environments. We believe the discipline of nursing is an integral part of the system of higher education and is responsible for the development and dissemination of knowledge. Knowledge is developed through identification of models for systematic thought, development and testing of theories for nursing, and clinical research.