Transcript History of health care

Unit 3
Introduction
The health care industry is
unique in many ways. This
industry requires certain personal
and professional characteristics,
attitudes, and rules of appearance
that apply to all health care
workers.
Introduction
 41% of employers more often
promote people who dress better
 Sixty-four percent of employers
surveyed banned flip flops
 35% of companies have sent
employees home for unsuitable
attire
(Source: CareerBuilder.com)
Introduction
 Research shows that within 20
seconds to 4 minutes, people
form an impression about
another person based mainly on
appearance
Personal Appearance
 Promoting Good Health
 Health care involves promoting
health and preventing disease
 In order for health care workers
(HCW) to promote health, they
should present a healthy
appearance themselves.
Personal Appearance
 Health Practices for HCW’s
Diet
Rest
Exercise
Good
Posture
Avoid use of Alcohol, Tobacco &
Drugs
Personal Appearance
 Uniform
A
uniform may be required for
your health occupation
Neat, well-fitting, clean, free of
wrinkles
Undergarments should be
appropriate and not be seen
Personal Appearance
 Clothing
Professional
clothing may be
required in place of uniform
Clean, neat, in good repair
Should allow for freedom of body
movement
Style should be appropriate for
position
Personal Appearance
 Identification Badge
Follow
facility’s policy
Must be visible
Report if lost or stolen
Update as needed
Personal Appearance
 Shoes
White
shoes frequently required,
depending on position
Should fit well and provide good
support
Low heels
Non absorbent material
Personal Appearance
 Shoes
Wear
clean, white socks, stockings
that are in good repair
No Crocs, tennis shoes, sandals
Must have closed toe and closed
heel
Non-skid sole
Personal Appearance
 Personal Hygiene
HCWs
work in close contact with
others
Control body odor
Daily bath/shower
Deodorant/Antiperspirant
Good oral hygiene
Clean undergarments
Personal Appearance
 Personal Hygiene
Avoid
strong odors
Some odors can be offensive, others
can cause reactions in some
individuals – can even be lifethreatening!
Examples: Tobacco, perfumes, scented hair
sprays, aftershave lotions
Personal Appearance
 Personal Hygiene
Nails
Keep
short and clean
Hold palms at eye level; if you can
see your nail then they are too long!
Long or untrimmed nails can cause
injury to patients and tear gloves
Personal Appearance
 Personal Hygiene
Nails
are significant infection
control risk if not kept at proper
length and properly cared for
No nail polish (some allow clear)
Hides dirt
Chips
Not professional
Personal Appearance
 Personal Hygiene
No
acrylic nails - increase risk of
fungal diseases and possibly
bacterial diseases
Hand lotion is recommended to
keep hands from drying
Wash hands!
Personal Appearance
 Personal Hygiene
Hair
Clean,
neat, natural color
Must be pinned up and NOT touch
collar
Must not block vision
Must not contaminate work space
Personal Appearance
 Personal Hygiene
Jewelry
Usually
NOT permitted with
uniform
Can cause injury
Can transmit pathogens
Exceptions:
Watch, wedding ring, ONE
post set of earrings in earlobe
Personal Appearance
 Personal Hygiene
No
dangling earrings
No body jewelry permitted – No
exceptions
Jewelry poses a high danger for
injury and transmission of
pathogens
Personal Appearance
 Personal Hygiene
Body
Art
No visible tattoos allowed on
health care workers in many
facilities
Tattoos must be covered if on
visible body part
Personal Appearance
 Personal Hygiene
Makeup
Avoid
excessive makeup
Makeup should create natural
appearance and add to professional
look
Should not be distracting
Personal Appearance
 Personal Hygiene
Summary
Know
the policies and procedures
of your facility
Follow established policies to avoid
disciplinary action
ALWAYS maintain neat, clean,
professional appearance
Personal Characteristics
 Health care workers must have
certain characteristics and
attitudes to be successful.
 These characteristics and
attitudes are always developing.
Personal Characteristics
 Empathy
 The ability to identify with and
understand another person’s
feelings, situation and motives
 Empathy must be adjusted,
depending on the situation
(pediatric patient vs. elderly)
Personal Characteristics
 Honesty
 To be truthful and have integrity
 Integrity: “doing the right thing,”
being sincere
 Trust from your patients and
coworkers is critical for success
Personal Characteristics
 Dependability
 To be reliable; place confidence in
 Be prompt when reporting to
work (school) and maintain a
good attendance record
 Perform assigned tasks on time
and to the best of your ability
Personal Characteristics
 Willingness To Learn
 Changes may occur in your
health care setting because of
research, new inventions, and
technological advances
 Be willing to learn and adapt to
changes
Personal Characteristics
 Willingness To Learn
 Changes may involve additional
education to remain competent
(employed)
 Have a positive attitude toward
life-long learning
Personal Characteristics
 Patience
 The ability to remain calm,
rational and empathetic,
regardless of situation
 You must be tolerant and
understanding at all times
 Must control temper
Personal Characteristics
 Patience
 Must learn how to deal with
frustration and overcome any
obstacles
 Failure to have adequate patience
can be career ending
Personal Characteristics
 Acceptance of Criticism
 Accept criticism and learn from it
 Criticism may come from
patients, employers, co-workers
 Not all criticism is bad (feedback)
 Everyone has room to improve in
their job performance
Personal Characteristics
 Enthusiasm
 Being eager, looking forward to,
or excited about something
 Enjoy your work and display a
positive attitude
 Enthusiasm is contagious
 Improves
your work performance and
encourages others to do the same
Personal Characteristics
 Enthusiasm
 Concentrate on the positive and
negatives will be minimized
 Make certain your enthusiasm is
appropriate – given the situation
Personal Characteristics
 Self Motivation
 The ability to begin or follow
through with a task
 Determine things that need to be
done and do them – without
being told
 Set goals and ways to reach them
Personal Characteristics
 Tact
 The ability to say or do the
kindest and most fitting thing in
a difficult situation
 All individuals have a right to
their own feelings and these
feelings should not be judged
Personal Characteristics
 Tact
 Show consideration of the
feelings of others
 Follow established policies and
procedures – ALWAYS
 Requires patience and
preparation in many cases
Personal Characteristics
 Competence
 The ability to be qualified and
capable of performing a task
 Rely on your education and
training (mentors)
 Follow established policies and
procedures
Personal Characteristics
 Competence
 Strive to be the best at all you do
 Know your limits
 Do not be afraid to ask for
help/guidance (do not abuse this)

Competence instills confidence!
Personal Characteristics
 Responsibility
 To be held accountable for your
actions
 Others (patients, co-workers)
must be able to rely on you
 Do what you’re supposed to do
 “Everyone else was doing it.”NO!
Personal Characteristics
 Discretion
 The ability to use good judgment
in what you say and/or do
 Confidential information
 Do NOT discuss medical
information unless authorized to
do so
Personal Characteristics
 Discretion
 Patients have a right to
confidentiality – punishable by
your license if violated
 Be discreet in all you do with
regard to patient care as to not
violate patient rights
Personal Characteristics
 Team Player
 Having an ability to work well
with others
 Don’t have to like, but do have to
work together
 Each member of a team may have
different responsibilities
Personal Characteristics
 Team Player
 Ensure that your responsibilities
are completed as they should be
so the team, or patient care, will
not suffer as a result
 Work together toward a common
goal – providing best patient care
Effective Communication
 Health care workers must be able
to relate to patients, their
families, co-workers and other
professionals
 Good communication skills are
essential
Effective Communication
 Health care workers must be able
to relate to patients, their
families, co-workers and other
professionals
 Good communication skills are
essential
Effective Communication
 Communication occurs in two
ways:
 Verbal – spoken or written
 Nonverbal – Facial expressions,
body language, touch
Effective Communication
 Three essential components of
communication:
 Sender – creates message
 Message – information, idea
thought
 Receiver – receives message from
sender
Effective Communication
 Factors that interfere with
effective communication:
 Message must be clear and
concise – terminology used in
health care is not always
understood by those not in health
care
Effective Communication
 Factors that interfere with
effective communication:
 Message must be clear and
concise – use terms that the
patient and/or family can
understand; “blood test,” “pee,”
“listen to your chest”
Effective Communication
 Factors that interfere with
effective communication:
 Message delivery– avoid
meaningless terms; “you know,”
“all that stuff,” “um”
 Tone and pitch can change
message meaning
Effective Communication
 Factors that interfere with
effective communication:
 Message delivery– rate or speed
of delivery can affect message;
too fast – message may not be
understood; too slow – receiver
may “tune out”
Effective Communication
 Factors that interfere with
effective communication:
 Message delivery– if message is
written:
 Correct spelling
 Correct grammar/punctuation
 Not too short/not too long
Effective Communication
 Factors that interfere with
effective communication:
 Message delivery– make sure
your patient is able to understand
message; not medicated or
distracted
Effective Communication
 Factors that interfere with
effective communication:
 Message delivery– make certain
there is not a language barrier
when communicating message to
your patient
Effective Communication
 Factors that interfere with
effective communication:
 Message delivery– if you are
unclear as to whether your
patient received the message
have them repeat it to you.
Effective Communication
 Factors that interfere with
effective communication:
 Message delivery– interruptions
must be avoided in order for
message to be received and
understood
Listening
 To pay attention; to make an
effort to hear and comprehend
what other person is saying
Listening
 Show interest and concern
 Be alert
 MAKE EYE CONTACT
 Avoid interrupting the speaker
 Let speaker know you are
listening by your response; repeat
important points heard
Listening
 Observe for actions that may
contradict what person (patient)
is saying: “I’m not worried about
this surgery.”
 Repeat statement(s) to speaker in
an attempt to allow them to
elaborate
Nonverbal Communication
 Use of facial expressions, body
language, gestures, eye contact,
touch
 Be aware of not only your
patient’s nonverbal behavior, but
also your own
Nonverbal Communication
 Many times touch can convey just
as effective a message as spoken
words
 Touch of hand, pat on back, firm
handshake, hug
 Touch may not always be
appropriate (situation, culture)
Barriers to Communication
 Something that gets in the way of
effective communication
 Three common barriers:
 Physical disability
 Psychological attitudes/prejudice
 Cultural diversity
Barriers to Communication
 Three common barriers:
 Physical disability
 Deaf or hearing impaired
 Blind or visually impaired
 Aphasic (inability to speak) or
speech impaired
Barriers to Communication
 Three common barriers:
 Psychological barriers
 Prejudice
 Attitudes
 Stereotypes
Barriers to Communication
 Three common barriers:
 Cultural diversity
 Culture consists of values, beliefs
attitudes and customs
 Beliefs related to illness
 Beliefs related to treatment
Barriers to Communication
 Three common barriers:
 Cultural diversity
 Language barriers
 Translator
 Eye contact and/or handshaking
may be disrespectful in some
cultures
Barriers to Communication
 Three common barriers:
 Cultural diversity
 Touch
 Some cultures touch can be seen
as disrespectful or perhaps
inappropriate
Teamwork
 Teamwork consists of many
professionals with different levels
of education, ideas, backgrounds
and interests working together
for good of the patient.
Teamwork
 Team Members:
 Admitting clerk
 Insurance Representative
 Nurse
 Physician
 Housekeepers
Teamwork
 Team Members:
 Medical Supply Personnel
 Dietician
 Social Worker
 Discharge Planner
Teamwork
 Teamwork improves
communication and continuity of
care
Teamwork
 Conflicts may arise as a result of
several factors:
Personality
differences
Education levels
Work habits
Differences of opinion
Teamwork
 Conflicts MUST be resolved
quickly and professionally
 Conflicts MUST NOT affect
patient care

You should address conflicts by
meeting with person(s) you are
having conflict with
Teamwork
 If you feel you cannot meet with
person(s) to resolve conflict,
involve a supervisor/mediator
 Avoid forming opposing
“camps.” This is noticeable to
patients and other staff and WILL
affect patient care.
Teamwork
 When EVERY member of the
team participates fully and makes
every effort to contribute, the
team achieves success and the
continuity of great patient care
will not be affected
Time Management
 System of practical skills that
allows use of time in most
effective way
Time Management
 Helps prevent or reduce stress
 Increases productivity
 Provides a “plan” for your day
 Puts you in charge of your
activities
Time Management
 In order to be effective in time
management you must:
Keep
daily activity log to document
daily tasks
Determine patterns of activities and
amount of time needed
Determine the most energetic time
of your day
Time Management
 In order to be effective in time
management you must:
Document
EVERYTHING
Organize task log
Schedule your day based on tasks
to be completed (high energy)
Prioritize tasks
Time Management
 In order to be effective in time
management you must:
Set
daily/weekly goals
When setting goals set a time limit
and stick to it!
Write goals down and keep them
with you
Time Management
 If you fail to reach your goal:
Evaluate
reasons why you did not
reach goal and reassess plan
Was your goal unrealistic?

Time management is essential for
success!
Leadership
 The skill or ability to encourage
people to work together and do
their best to achieve common
goals
Leadership
MYTH: “Leaders are born.”
Leaders:
 Develop by own efforts
 Ability to inspire others
 Promote positive changes for the
benefit of staff and patients
Leadership
Characteristics of a Leader:
 Respects rights, opinions and
abilities of others
 Works WITH a group
 Provides guidance toward a goal
 Understands own strengths and
weaknesses
Leadership
Characteristics of a Leader:
 Displays self-confidence
 Communicates clearly and
effectively
 Is self-motivated
 Serves as example for others to
follow
Leadership
Characteristics of a Leader:
 Shows optimism
 Is open minded
 Willing to compromise if needed
 Praises others; give credit
 Meets high standards and expects
same from others (by example)
Leadership
Types of Leaders:
 Democratic
 Laissez-faire
 Autocratic
Leadership
Types of Leaders:
Democratic
 Encourages participation and
input from all
 Makes decisions based on what is
best for the group
 Delegates responsibilities
Leadership
Types of Leaders:
Laissez-faire
 Informal leader
 Minimal rules and regulations
 “Hands off” leader
 Makes decisions only when
forced to
Leadership
Types of Leaders:
Autocratic
 Often compared to dictator
 Makes all decisions
 Will not delegate tasks to others
 People follow leader for fear of
punishment
End of Lecture