Ethics and professionalism are the fundamental basis of collaboration among different professional groups to secure integrated, joint and seamless person-centered care for patients and clients. The aim of this study was to explore and describe ethics and professionalism in collaboration among health and social care workers and the related factors. This new knowledge can be used to support health and social care workers in their work of providing integrated high-quality person-centered care.

The study utilized mixed methods. Meta-synthesis of previous knowledge of ethics in interprofessional collaboration was carried out using data collection from electronic databases and manual search. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with two instruments, the Nurses’ Professional Values Scale-3 and the Interprofessional Professionalism Assessment. The data was collected among health and social care workers (n=1,823) in collaboration with 15 Finnish professional trade unions. The quantitative data was analysed by statistical methods and qualitative data with inductive content analysis.

Based on the findings of the meta-synthesis, ethics in interprofessional collaboration was related to health and social care workers’ understanding of the role of the patients and other professionals in the care process. Ethical conflicts in collaboration were connected to respecting patients’ own will, honesty to patients and the conduct of proper pain management. Based on the findings of the cross-sectional survey, professional values and professionalism in collaboration were highly consistent among professional groups. Workers who received support for their ethical practice from their organization and experienced work satisfaction had statistically significantly stronger professional values and scored higher than others in professionalism in collaboration.

To ensure person-centered health and social care services, structures and leadership methods are needed to develop to support shared values among different professionals. More research is needed on the realization of ethics and professionalism in collaboration related to person-centered care in integrated care.