title: Remaining in the nursing profession: The relevance of strong evaluations.
abstract: Why nurses remain in the profession is a complex question. However, strong values can be grounds for their remaining, meaning nurses evaluate the qualitative worth of different desires and distinguish between senses of what is a good life.
  The overall aim is to explore and argue the relevance of strong evaluations for remaining in the nursing profession.
  This theoretical article based on a hermeneutical approach introduces the concept strong evaluations as described by the Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor and provides examples of nurses' experiences in everyday nursing care drawn from a Norwegian empirical study.
  Data collected in the original study consisted of qualitative interviews and qualitative follow-up interviews with 13 nurses. The research context was the primary and secondary somatic and psychiatric health service, inside as well as outside institutions.
  The article uses data from an original empirical study approved by the Norwegian Social Science Data Services. Information was given and consent obtained from the participants.
  Remaining in the nursing profession can be understood as revolving around being a strong evaluator. This has been concretized in issues of being aware of different incidents in life and having capacities as a nurse.
  Why nurses remain is discussed in relation to how nurses have shaped themselves by reflecting on what is of significance in their life. However, being a strong evaluator cannot be seen as the casual condition for remaining.
  Remaining in the nursing profession is obviously not a contingent matter, rather it is a matter concerned with the qualitative worth of different desires and values. Nurses' awareness of a life choice impacts on whether they remain or not. Consequently, nurses may need to articulate and reflect on their priorities for remaining.
authors.forename: Margareth
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kristoffersen
authors.affiliation: University of Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Febe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Friberg
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D010558:Personnel Loyalty; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012945:Social Values
keywords: Everyday nursing experiences; nursing profession; remaining; self-understanding; strong evaluations