Athletic Trainers' Shared Professional Values: A Report from the NATA Professional Responsibility in Athletic Training Committee

Context:Professional values (PV) of healthcare providers influence their professional decisions and behaviors. Athletic training is one of the remaining health professions without established shared PV. Commitment to shared PV, also known as core values, prompts good/right behavior by guiding moral/ethical judgment and professional decision-making.Objective:To identify shared PV in athletic training (AT) that enables the use of a values orientation, which facilitates adherence to legal, ethical, regulatory and professional standards.Design:Cross-sectional survey studySetting:Web-based surveysPatients or Other Participants:The Athletic Training Strategic Alliance leadership (n = 61/95), NATA membership (n = 4837/35,279) and, National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Committee members (n = 277/423) participated in this study.Main Outcome Measures(s):Our research consisted of three separate studies, each utilizing a Web-based survey to identify shared PV, as well as a definition and sample behaviors for each PV.Results: Using a three-tiered systematic and inclusive process, Caring/Compassion, Integrity, Respect, Competence, and Accountability were identified as the shared PV among athletic trainers. Definitions and three sample behaviors have also been determined and endorsed for each of the five shared PV.Conclusions:With the establishment of these shared PV, and their recent addition to the NATA Code of Ethics, athletic trainers can immediately employ a values orientation to their professional practices.