Final answer:
The nurse's effort to respect patients' preferences and values in healthcare delivery reflects the QSEN competency of Patient- and Family-Centered Care, which fits within the broader framework of care ethics emphasizing compassion and kindness.
Step-by-step explanation:
In caring for his group of patients and making efforts to respect their preferences and values, the nurse is displaying the QSEN competency of Patient- and Family-Centered Care. This competency involves recognizing the patient and his or her family members as integral members of the care team, whose values and preferences are essential in the planning and delivery of care.
It aligns with care ethics, which is the belief that traits like compassion, sympathy, and kindness should be prominently present in healthcare. Through understanding and integrating the patients' and families' perspectives, healthcare providers like nurses can help to ensure that the care given aligns with the patients' values, leading to better patient outcomes and satisfaction.