Personal and Professional Qualities of a Healthcare Worker

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Sarah Chambers
5 years ago
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1 Personal and Professional Qualities of a Healthcare Worker

2 1. Appearance 1. Should present an appearance that inspires confidence and a positive self-image, overall good health, no alcohol/tobacco/drugs (many campuses are smoke free due to the odor of cigarette smoke) 2. Professional appearance -uniform, id badge visible, shoes clean, personal hygiene (no perfume), fingernails, hair, jewelry, tattoos, make-up

3 Good vs Bad Appearance!

4 2. Personal characteristics/attitudes 1. Empathy - identify and understand another s feelings, situations, motives 2. Honesty - truthfulness and integrity 3. Dependability - be on time, perform tasks correctly 4. Willingness to learn - new techniques, procedures, ongoing education

5 5. Patience 6. Acceptance of criticism - from patients, their families, coworkers, etc 7. Enthusiasm 8. Self-motivation - ability to begin or follow through with a task

6 9. Tact - take the feelings of others into consideration -the ability to say or do the right thing 10. Competent - qualified and capable 11. Responsible - held accountable for actions - do what you are supposed to do

7 12. Discrete - use good judgement - don t violate a patient s rights 13. Professional -display good judgement, proper behaviour, be courteous, have good communication skills, honest, polite, don t use phone to text/play games while working, post appropriately on social media 14. Team player

8 3. Effective communicators -both verbal and nonverbal (written, facial expression, body language, touch) communication - message must be clear (spoken in terms anyone can understand, which depends on the receiver of the information) - use correct pronunciation and good grammar

9 - make sure the person receiving the message has heard and understood - make sure there are no distractions

10 - listening involves showing interest, maintaining eye contact, not interrupting, paying attention to nonverbal cues and asking for clarification to make sure you got what was being said -nonverbal communication includes the use of facial expression, body language, gestures, eye contact, touch, etc

11 Barriers to Communication 1. Physical disabilities - deafness, hearing loss, blindness, impaired vision, aphasia (loss or impairment of the power to use or comprehend words, usually as a result of an injury or damage to the brain), speech impairment 2. Psychological barriers - caused by prejudice, ex. dumb blonde, fat slob, lazy bum),attitudes and personality

12 3. Cultural diversity - beliefs and practices regarding health and illness (ex.; Jehovah Witness), language differences (use of an interpreter can help), eye contact (recognize in some cultures it may not be acceptable), touch

13 Recording and Reporting - Part of effectively communicating - Uses senses to make observations - Sight - color of skin, presence of swelling, color of urine, etc. - Smell - unusual odors of breath, wounds, urine, stool - Touch - to feel pulse, dryness or temp of skin, swelling - Hearing - to listen for respirations, coughs, speech

14 Objective observations - can be see or measured (ex.; temp is 102) Subjective observations - can t be seen or felt - are usually statements or complaints made by the patient (ex.; I feel like I have a fever) ** only objective observations should be recorded on a patient s chart

15 4. Good Interpersonal Relationships - The ability to get along with others

16 5. Ability to be Part of a Team -many professionals with different levels of education, ideas, backgrounds and interests working together for the benefit of a patient

17 -Ex.; surgical team - admitting clerk, insurance rep, nurse/patient care tech, surgeon, anesthesiologist, OR nurse, surgical tech, housekeepers, sterile supply personnel, recovery room personnel - after surgery, patient may need PT, OT, dietician, social worker, etc.

18 - Teamwork improves communication and continuity of care - Every person on the team must know, understand and respect the role of each team member in order to clarify each person s responsibility and provide optimal care to the patient

19 6. Able to manage stress effectively Stress - the body s reaction to any stimulus that requires a person to adjust to a changing environment. Body s response to stress: Heart rate & BP increase, mouth gets dry, adrenaline released into bloodstream Ways to control stress: stop, breathe deeply, think about the problem, take action

21 7. Time Management - A system of practical skills that allows an individual to use time in the most effective and productive way possible. - Effective time management involves the ability to analyze and prioritize, identify preferences, plan work, and avoid distractions

Elements of Communication

Elements of Communication Communication Communication is the exchange of information, ideas, feelings, and thoughts Communication helps us know what the needs of others are and how to meet those needs Healthcare workers must be