The Profound Value of Integrity

By Carol Pehotsky, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CPAN, Executive Director, Associate Chief Nursing Officer, Surgical Services, Cleveland Clinic and Senior Director, Surgical Nursing, Cleveland Clinic Main Campus

You’re probably familiar with the famous maxim: Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.

Many of us chose a profession in healthcare out of a desire to take care of others. In the areas I serve, we interact with each other and our patients behind the "red lines" — restricted zones designed to ensure that operating rooms, procedural rooms and their surrounding areas pose a minimal risk of infection.

In these well-controlled areas, fewer people are watching — but this is all the more reason we must to hold ourselves to the highest standards. In the operating room, we become the eyes, ears and voice of our patients, and we honor that by doing the right thing for them.

Living and working with integrity isn’t always easy, especially when it requires us to speak up. Integrity demands we have the courage to question and reflect on what’s truly best for the patient. In the hospital and out, healthcare is a team sport. We all have a responsibility to cultivate an environment where everyone on the team feels safe and empowered and understands the importance of expressing their concerns. We should continue to ask, “Is this the right thing to do?”

Even in the most supportive of environments, speaking up can be challenging. No one enjoys being wrong, and it's easy to let fear become the adversary of integrity. We may hesitate to voice our concerns and worry about how they’ll be received.

But at times like these, we must lean into courage the most. Open dialogue and spirited discussions about what is right can foster an atmosphere of trust and collaboration. Even for leaders, it takes practice to open up and say, “Tell me more about that.” When we ask questions and genuinely listen to our colleagues, however, we pave the way for others to speak up, too.

Integrity isn’t confined to direct patient interactions; it extends to every decision and action we take, no matter what role we play in this organization. By nurturing these connections, we enhance the quality of care we provide.

We all play a part in ensuring that integrity is and remains our guiding principle. When we take a moment to pause, reflect and act in the best interest of those we serve, we are fostering our core values. Together, we ensure that every patient feels the compassion and dedication that comes from a team united in their desire to do what is right.