Personal Characteristics of a Health Care ProviderPersonal Characteristics of a Health Care Provider

Objectives:Objectives: Identify character traits of

a health care provider Analyze professionalism

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions What characteristics are

employers looking for in job applicants?

Which of these characteristics do I have?

Why must a health care provider be professional at all times?

Personal CharacteristicsPersonal Characteristics

Empathy: ability to identify with & Empathy: ability to identify with & understand another person’s understand another person’s feelings, situation, motivesfeelings, situation, motives

Honesty: others must be able to Honesty: others must be able to trust you at all timestrust you at all times

Dependability: accept the Dependability: accept the responsibility your position requiresresponsibility your position requires

Willingness to learn and adaptWillingness to learn and adapt

Personal CharacteristicsPersonal Characteristics

Patience: tolerant and understandingPatience: tolerant and understanding Acceptance of criticismAcceptance of criticism Enthusiasm: positive attitudeEnthusiasm: positive attitude Self-motivation: ability to begin or Self-motivation: ability to begin or

follow through with a taskfollow through with a task

Personal CharacteristicsPersonal Characteristics

Tact: ability to say or do the kindest Tact: ability to say or do the kindest or most fitting thing in a difficult or most fitting thing in a difficult situationsituation

Competence: qualified and capableCompetence: qualified and capable Responsibility: willing to be held Responsibility: willing to be held

accountable for your actionsaccountable for your actions

Personal AppearancePersonal Appearance

Good HealthGood Health– Diet: well-balanced Diet: well-balanced

diet provides body diet provides body with optimum with optimum healthhealth

– Rest: adequate rest Rest: adequate rest provides energy & provides energy & ability to deal with ability to deal with stressstress

Personal AppearancePersonal Appearance

– Exercise: improves Exercise: improves physical & mental physical & mental capabilities capabilities

– Good posture: Good posture: prevents fatigue prevents fatigue with less stress on with less stress on musclesmuscles

Personal AppearancePersonal Appearance

– Avoid tobacco, alcohol & drugs: impairs Avoid tobacco, alcohol & drugs: impairs mental & physical functionsmental & physical functions

UniformUniform

Neat, well fitting, Neat, well fitting, clean, wrinkle freeclean, wrinkle free

Follow standards of Follow standards of place of place of employmentemployment

ClothingClothing

Clean, neat, in Clean, neat, in good repairgood repair

Allow for freedom Allow for freedom of body movementof body movement

Appropriate for Appropriate for positionposition

Name BadgeName Badge

Required at all Required at all facilitiesfacilities

ShoesShoes

Should fit well & Should fit well & provide good provide good support to prevent support to prevent fatiguefatigue

Low heels best to Low heels best to prevent accidents prevent accidents & fatigue& fatigue

Personal HygienePersonal Hygiene

Control body odor: Control body odor: – daily bath or showerdaily bath or shower– use deodorantuse deodorant

Good oral hygieneGood oral hygiene Clean undergarmentsClean undergarments Avoid strong odorsAvoid strong odors

NailsNails

Kept short & cleanKept short & clean Long, pointed nails Long, pointed nails

can cause injury to can cause injury to patientspatients

Germs transmitted Germs transmitted when dirt collects when dirt collects under nailsunder nails

HairHair

Clean & neatClean & neat Avoid extreme styles Avoid extreme styles

& hair ornaments& hair ornaments Pin back off collarPin back off collar

– Keeps hair from Keeps hair from touching patienttouching patient

– Prevent hair from falling Prevent hair from falling on tray or equipmenton tray or equipment

– Avoid blocking vision Avoid blocking vision during procedureduring procedure

JewelryJewelry

Can cause injury & Can cause injury & transmit pathogenstransmit pathogens

Excessive amount Excessive amount interferes with interferes with patient care & patient care & detracts from detracts from professional professional appearanceappearance

MakeupMakeup

Avoid excessive Avoid excessive useuse

Should create Should create natural appearance natural appearance & add to & add to attractivenessattractiveness