CHAPTER 4Personal and ProfessionalQualities of aHealth 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

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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

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Effective Communications(continued)

• Verbal: spoken words• Written• Nonverbal: facial expressions, body language, and

touch

Effective Communications(continued)

• Essential elements• Sender • Message• Receiver • Feedback

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Effective Communications• 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 limits

clear 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

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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

Good Interpersonal Relationship Guidelines(continued)

• 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

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

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

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

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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

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