© 2009 delmar cengage learning chapter 4 personal and professional qualities of a health care...

© 2009 Delmar Cengage Learning

Chapter 4

Personal and ProfessionalQualities of a

Health Care Worker


4:1 Personal Appearance

• Appearance communicates level of confidence and positive self-esteem

• First impressions are based on appearances and form quickly

• Rules about appearance may vary

• Certain professional standards apply to most health careers


Good Health

• Health care involves promoting health and preventing disease

• Health care workers serve as role models• Diet• Rest• Exercise• Good posture• Avoid use of tobacco and drugs


Uniform Considerations

• Required in some health occupations

• Neat, well-fitting, clean, and wrinkle-free

• Choose undergarments that will not show

• Avoid extreme styles

• Follow standards established by place of employment


Regular Clothing

• Some occupations allow use of regular clothing in lieu of uniforms

• Must be clean, neat, and in good repair

• Style that allows for body movements

• Should be appropriate for position

• Washable and less expensive to maintain


Other Considerations

• Name badge

• Shoes

• Personal hygiene

• Nails

• Hair

• Jewelry

• Makeup and tattoos


Summary

• Find out rules or standards established by the agency

• Abide by the rules

• Maintain a neat, clean, professional appearance at all times


4:2 Personal Characteristics

• Certain personal/professional characteristics and attitudes apply to all health occupations

• You should make every effort to develop these characteristics and attitudes and incorporate them into your personality


Desirable Characteristics

• Empathy

• Honesty

• Dependability

• Willingness to learn

• Patience

• Acceptance of criticism

• Enthusiasm

(continues)


Desirable Characteristics(continued)

• Self-motivation or self-initiative

• Tact

• Competence

• Responsibility

• Discretion

• Team player


4:3 Effective Communications

• Health care workers must be able to relate to patients, family, coworkers, and others

• Understanding communication skills assists in this process

• Communication: exchange of information, thoughts, ideas, and feelings

(continues)


Effective Communications(continued)

• Verbal: spoken words

• Written

• Nonverbal: facial expressions, body language, and touch

(continues)



• Essential elements– Sender

– Message

– Receiver

– Feedback

(continues)



• Message must be clear

• How sender delivers message

• How receiver hears message

• How receiver understands message

• Avoid interruptions and distractions


Listening

• Essential to communications

• Attempt to hear what other is really saying

• Need constant practice

• Good listening skills techniques

• Observe speaker closely

• Reflect statements back to speaker


Nonverbal Communication

• Facial expressions, body language, gestures, eye contact, and touch

• Can conflict with verbal message

• Be aware of own and other’s nonverbals

• Don’t always need verbals to communicate effectively

• When verbal and nonverbal agree, message more likely understood


Barriers to Communication

• Something that gets in the way or limitsclear communications

• Common barriers– Physical disabilities

– Psychological attitudes and prejudice

– Cultural diversity


Recording and Reporting

• Observe and record observations

• Use all senses in the process

• Report promptly and accurately

• Criteria for recording observations on a patient’s health care record

• HIPAA regulations


Summary

• Good communication skills allow development of good interpersonal relationships

• Health care worker also relates more effectively with coworkers and other individuals


4:4 Teamwork

• In any health care career, you will be part of an interdisciplinary health care team

• Team concept was created to provide quality holistic health care for every patient

• Teamwork consists of many professionals, with different levels of education, ideas, backgrounds, and interests, working together for the good of the patient


Teamwork Concepts

• Teamwork improves communication and continuity of care

• Every person on the team must understand the role of each team member

• A leader is an important part of any team

• Good interpersonal relationships essential

• Legal responsibilities


Good InterpersonalRelationship Guidelines

• Poor relationships interfere with quality of care, goals, and work satisfaction

• Respect differences due to cultural and ethnic backgrounds, gender, age, socioeconomic status, lifestyle preference, beliefs, and levels of education

• Show sensitivity to the hopes, feelings, and needs of team members

(continues)


Good Interpersonal Relationship Guidelines

(continued)

• Golden Rule: treat others as you would want to be treated

• Have a positive attitude

• Be willing to laugh at yourself

• Be friendly and cooperative

• Assist others

• Listen carefully (continues)


• Respect the opinion of others

• Be open-minded and willing to compromise

• Don’t criticize others

• Practice good communication skills

• Support and encourage team members

• Perform your duties to the best of your ability

Good Interpersonal Relationship Guidelines

(continued)


Conflict Resolution

• Deal with conflict in a positive way• Meet with people involved to discuss it• Listen to each other’s point of view• Avoid accusations and hostility• Solve problems cooperatively

(continues)


Conflict Resolution(continued)

• Sometimes a mediator may be needed

• Grievance policies define official process

• To meet team goals, conflict must be resolved as quickly as possible


Summary

• Effective teams are the result of hard work, patience, commitment, and practice

• When each individual participates fully in the team and makes every effort to contribute, the team achieves success


4:5 Professional Leadership

• Purpose: encourage people to work together and do their best to achieve common goals

• Definition of a leader

• Myths

• Characteristics of a leader

• Categories of leaders


Types of Leaders

• Democratic

• Laissez-faire

• Autocratic


Summary

• All types of leadership have advantages and disadvantages

• In some rare situations, an autocratic leader may be beneficial

• Democratic leader usually presented as most effective for group interactions

• Respecting the rights and opinions of others is an important guide for a leader


4:6 Stress

• Definition of stress

• Stressors

• What causes stress

• Sympathetic nervous system response

• Parasympathetic nervous system recovery

• Stress is universal

• Benefits of stress

(continues)


Stress(continued)

• Negative effects of stress

• Learning to control stress

• Stressors—how to problem solve

• Managing stress reactions– Stop

– Breathe

– Reflect

– Choose


Stress-Reducing Techniques

• Live a healthy life

• Take breaks

• Relax with a warm bath

• Listen to quiet, soothing music

• Close your eyes, take deep breaths, and relax each muscle group

• Seek support from others

(continues)


Stress-Reducing Techniques(continued)

• Meditate• Use imagery• Enjoy yourself• Renew yourself• Think positively• Develop outside interests• Seek assistance or delegate tasks• Avoid too many commitments


Summary

• Stress is constant and cannot be avoided

• Be aware of causes

• Learn how to respond

• Solve problems effectively

• Practice techniques to reduce

• Be mindful of patient’s stress

• Patients can use same coping techniques


4:7 Time Management

• Definition

• Helps prevent or reduce stress

• First step is to keep an activity record

• Start to organize time based on information collected in activity record


Setting Goals

• Why set goals?

• Short- and long-term goals

• Completion of goals results in satisfaction, sense of accomplishment, and motivation to attempt other goals

(continues)


Setting Goals(continued)

• Take the opportunity when starting high school to set short-term goals for researching careers in health care

• Talk with a guidance or career counselor

• Make sure you are taking the courses that are needed

• Establish your own goals


Set Effective Goals

• State in positive manner

• Define clearly and precisely

• Prioritize multiple goals

• Write goals down

• Make sure at right level—should present challenge, but not be impossible to complete


After Setting Goals

• Focus on how to accomplish goals

• Review necessary skills

• What information do you need to gather?

• What resources will be needed?

• Identify potential problems

• Prioritize goals

• Organize steps


Evaluating Goal Success

• If goal is achieved, enjoy sense of accomplishment and satisfaction

• If goal is not achieved, evaluate why failed– Was it realistic?

– Did you lack needed skills/knowledge?

– Is there another way to achieve the goal?

– Remember, failure can be a positive learning experience


Use Time Management to Meet Goals

• Analyze and prioritize

• Identify habits and preferences

• Schedule tasks

• Make a daily “to do” list

• Plan your work

• Avoid distractions

• Take credit for a job well done


Summary

• Time management provides for an organized and efficient use of time

• Won’t always succeed when unexpected events occur

• If fail, reevaluate goals and revise the plan

• Patience, practice, and an honest effort are the best guides to a healthier, more content life

© 2009 delmar cengage learning chapter 4 personal and professional qualities of a health care...

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