PERSONAL QUALITIES OF A PERSONAL QUALITIES OF A HEALTH CARE WORKERHEALTH CARE WORKER

Certain personal/professional Certain personal/professional characteristics, attitudes, and characteristics, attitudes, and

rules of appearance apply to all rules of appearance apply to all health care professionals.health care professionals.

Writing AssignmentWriting AssignmentUse Complete SentencesUse Complete Sentences

““You have been told by the hospital that You have been told by the hospital that you need to hire help to care for your aging you need to hire help to care for your aging mother/father unless you are willing to mother/father unless you are willing to place her/him in a nursing home. You have place her/him in a nursing home. You have decided that you would hire assistants and decided that you would hire assistants and now need to interview caregivers to care for now need to interview caregivers to care for your family member 24/7”.your family member 24/7”.

  Explain the 4 most important qualities you Explain the 4 most important qualities you would look for, including why. In your would look for, including why. In your paragraph/s include 3 questions you would paragraph/s include 3 questions you would ask your potential caregiver.ask your potential caregiver.

PERSONAL APPEARANCEPERSONAL APPEARANCE

Important to present an appearance Important to present an appearance that inspires that inspires confidence and a confidence and a positive self-imagepositive self-image

It only takes from about It only takes from about 20 seconds 20 seconds up to 4 minutes up to 4 minutes for someone to form for someone to form an impression about another person an impression about another person based mainly on appearancebased mainly on appearance

PRESENT A HEALTHY PRESENT A HEALTHY APPEARANCEAPPEARANCE

DietDiet– well-balanced meals and nutritious well-balanced meals and nutritious

foodsfoods

RestRest– Adequate rest and sleep help provide Adequate rest and sleep help provide

energy and the ability to deal with stressenergy and the ability to deal with stress

ExerciseExercise– Maintains circulation and improves Maintains circulation and improves

muscle tonemuscle tone

PRESENT A HEALTHY PRESENT A HEALTHY APPEARANCE CONT’DAPPEARANCE CONT’D

Good PostureGood Posture– Helps prevent fatigue and puts less Helps prevent fatigue and puts less

stress on musclesstress on muscles

Avoid Tobacco, Alcohol, and DrugsAvoid Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drugs– These can seriously affect good healthThese can seriously affect good health– Affects function of heart, circulatory Affects function of heart, circulatory

system, lungs and digestive systemsystem, lungs and digestive system– Most health care facilities are “smoke-Most health care facilities are “smoke-

free”free”

PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCEPROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE

There are rules or standards of dress and There are rules or standards of dress and personal appearance in health care personal appearance in health care facilities.facilities.

-Uniform-Uniform -Nails-Nails

-Clothing-Clothing -Hair-Hair

-Name Badge-Name Badge -Jewelry-Jewelry

-Shoes-Shoes -Makeup-Makeup

-Personal Hygiene-Personal Hygiene

..Professionalism brings together who you are as a Professionalism brings together who you are as a

personperson and how those traits contribute to the and how those traits contribute to the workplaceworkplace

Personal Personal ValuesValues: things that have a : things that have a high degree of worth to the individualhigh degree of worth to the individual

Reputation: Reputation: charactercharacter in the view of in the view of the communitythe community

MoralsMorals: capability to differentiate : capability to differentiate between right and wrongbetween right and wrong

IntegrityIntegrity: of sound moral principal: of sound moral principal

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICSPERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

What are some personal/professional What are some personal/professional characteristics and attitudes required characteristics and attitudes required in the health occupations?in the health occupations?

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS CONT’DCONT’D

EmpathyEmpathy-being able to identify with and understanding -being able to identify with and understanding

another person’s feelings, situation, and another person’s feelings, situation, and motivesmotives

-sincerely interested in working with people-sincerely interested in working with people

-must care about others and be able to -must care about others and be able to communicate and work with themcommunicate and work with them

HonestyHonesty--Truthfulness and integrityTruthfulness and integrity

--must be willing to admit mistakesmust be willing to admit mistakes

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS CONT’DCONT’D

DependabilityDependability--Accept the responsibility required in your Accept the responsibility required in your

positionposition

--Prompt in reporting to work Prompt in reporting to work (BE ON TIME)(BE ON TIME)

-Maintain good attendance record-Maintain good attendance record

-Must perform assigned tasks on time and -Must perform assigned tasks on time and accuratelyaccurately

Willingness to learnWillingness to learn-Change often requires learning techniques or -Change often requires learning techniques or

proceduresprocedures

-Lifelong learning (CEUs)-Lifelong learning (CEUs)

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICSPERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

PatiencePatience-Be tolerant and understanding-Be tolerant and understanding

-Control you temper and “count to ten” in -Control you temper and “count to ten” in difficult situationsdifficult situations

-Learn to deal with frustration and overcoming -Learn to deal with frustration and overcoming obstaclesobstacles

Acceptance of Acceptance of CriticismCriticism-Some criticism will be constructive and allow -Some criticism will be constructive and allow

you to improve your workyou to improve your work

-Accept such criticism and learn from it--Accept such criticism and learn from it-improve!improve!

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICSPERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

EnthusiasmEnthusiasm-Enjoy you work and display a positive attitude-Enjoy you work and display a positive attitude-Enthusiasm is contagious-Enthusiasm is contagious-Concentrate on the positive aspects of your job-Concentrate on the positive aspects of your job

Self-MotivationSelf-Motivation-self-initiative-self-initiative-ability to begin or to follow through with a task-ability to begin or to follow through with a task-able to determine what needs done and do it -able to determine what needs done and do it

without constant without constant directiondirection-set goals for self and work to reach them!-set goals for self and work to reach them!

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICSPERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

TACTTACT-having the ability to say or do the kindest or -having the ability to say or do the kindest or

most fitting thing in difficult situationsmost fitting thing in difficult situations

-need consideration for the other person’s -need consideration for the other person’s feelingsfeelings

COMPETENCECOMPETENCE-being qualified and capable of performing a task-being qualified and capable of performing a task

-follow instructions, use approved procedures, -follow instructions, use approved procedures, and strive for accuracy in all you doand strive for accuracy in all you do

-know your limits and when to ask for help!-know your limits and when to ask for help!

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICSPERSONAL CHARACTERISTICSResponsibilityResponsibility-being willing to be held accountable for your -being willing to be held accountable for your

actionsactions--others can rely on you and know that you will others can rely on you and know that you will

meet your obligationsmeet your obligations-you do what you are suppose to do!-you do what you are suppose to do!

DiscretionDiscretion--use good judgement in what you say and do!use good judgement in what you say and do!-respect the -respect the rules of confidentiality rules of confidentiality and only share and only share

information with those who have the “need to information with those who have the “need to know” and only with proper authorizationknow” and only with proper authorization

-respect patient’s rights in health care-respect patient’s rights in health care

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Team Player Team Player

In any health care field, you will In any health care field, you will become part of a teambecome part of a team– Work well with othersWork well with others– Each member of the Each member of the health teamhealth team must must

do his or her partdo his or her part– Working together allows goals to Working together allows goals to

become accomplished fasterbecome accomplished faster

TO SUMMARIZE PERSONAL TO SUMMARIZE PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICSCHARACTERISTICS

Realize that each of the characteristics Realize that each of the characteristics discussed must be practiced and learneddiscussed must be practiced and learned

Some take longer than others to developSome take longer than others to develop

Be aware of these characteristics, Be aware of these characteristics, constantly strive to improveconstantly strive to improve

Results in you providing good Results in you providing good patient/resident care and becoming patient/resident care and becoming valuable to your clients and your valuable to your clients and your employer!!employer!!

WHAT IS TEAMWORK?WHAT IS TEAMWORK?

WHAT DOES TEAM WORK WHAT DOES TEAM WORK LOOK LIKE? LOOK LIKE?

TEAMWORKTEAMWORK

Developed to provide quality holistic Developed to provide quality holistic health care to every patient (teaming)health care to every patient (teaming)Consists of many professionals, with Consists of many professionals, with different levels of education, ideas, different levels of education, ideas, backgrounds, and interests, working backgrounds, and interests, working together for the benefit of the patienttogether for the benefit of the patientMust understand rolesMust understand rolesGood interpersonal relationships are Good interpersonal relationships are also essentialalso essential

What can I do to develop good What can I do to develop good interpersonal relationshipsinterpersonal relationships??

Maintain a positive attitudeMaintain a positive attitude

Learn to laugh at yourselfLearn to laugh at yourself

Be friendly and cooperate with othersBe friendly and cooperate with others

Assist others when you see they need helpAssist others when you see they need help

Listen carefully when another person is Listen carefully when another person is sharing ideas or beliefssharing ideas or beliefs

Respect the opinions of others even though Respect the opinions of others even though you may not agree with themyou may not agree with them

Be open-minded and willing to compromiseBe open-minded and willing to compromise

What can I do to develop good What can I do to develop good interpersonal relationships cont’dinterpersonal relationships cont’d

Avoid criticizing other team membersAvoid criticizing other team membersLearn good communications skills so Learn good communications skills so you can share ideas, concepts, and you can share ideas, concepts, and knowledgeknowledgeSupport and encourage other team Support and encourage other team membersmembersPerform your duties to the best of your Perform your duties to the best of your abilityabilityDeal with conflicts in a positive and Deal with conflicts in a positive and professional wayprofessional way

STRESSSTRESS

HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU DEFINE STRESS?DEFINE STRESS?

STRESSSTRESS

• The body’s reaction to any stimulus The body’s reaction to any stimulus that requires a person to adjust to a that requires a person to adjust to a changingchanging environment. environment.

Heart attack=internal stressorHeart attack=internal stressor

New Job=external stressorNew Job=external stressor

****EveryoneEveryone experiences a certain experiences a certain degree of stress on a daily basis**degree of stress on a daily basis**

Questions to ponder……Questions to ponder……

Does every person feel the same Does every person feel the same stress?stress?

What factors define stress for an What factors define stress for an individual?individual?

Is all stress harmful?Is all stress harmful?

STRESSSTRESS

““NOT ALL STRESS IS HARMFULNOT ALL STRESS IS HARMFUL””

Not all stress is harmful. In fact, a Not all stress is harmful. In fact, a small amount of stress is essential small amount of stress is essential to an individual’s to an individual’s well-beingwell-being because it makes a person more because it makes a person more alert and raises alert and raises the energy the energy level.**level.**

STRESSSTRESS

HOWEVER SOME CAN BE HOWEVER SOME CAN BE HARMFUL…….HARMFUL…….

*If stress causes *If stress causes negativenegative feelings, feelings, such as frustration, irritability, such as frustration, irritability, angeranger, , depression, self-criticism, emotional depression, self-criticism, emotional or physical exhaustion or emotional or physical exhaustion or emotional outburstsoutbursts, , can be harmful.*can be harmful.*

BE BE AWAREAWARE OF STRESSORS and LEARN OF STRESSORS and LEARN METHODS TO METHODS TO CONTROLCONTROL THEM! THEM!

MANAGE STRESS REACTIONSMANAGE STRESS REACTIONS

STOPSTOP– Immediately stop what you are doing to break Immediately stop what you are doing to break

out of the stress responseout of the stress response

BREATHEBREATHE– Take a slow deep breath to relieve the physical Take a slow deep breath to relieve the physical

tension you are feelingtension you are feeling

REFLECTREFLECT– Think about the problem at hand and the cause Think about the problem at hand and the cause

of the stressof the stress

CHOOSECHOOSE– Determine how you want to deal with the stressDetermine how you want to deal with the stress

STRESS REDUCING STRESS REDUCING TECHNIQUESTECHNIQUES

Live a healthy lifeLive a healthy lifeTake a break from stressorsTake a break from stressorsRelaxRelaxRelieve tensionRelieve tensionRely on othersRely on othersMeditateMeditateEnjoy a hobbyEnjoy a hobbyAvoid over commitmentAvoid over commitmentDelegate to others/ask for helpDelegate to others/ask for help

TIME MANAGEMENTTIME MANAGEMENT

Using time management can Using time management can help reduce and manage stress.help reduce and manage stress.

TIME MANAGEMENT TIME MANAGEMENT =is a system =is a system of practical skills that allows an of practical skills that allows an individual to use time most individual to use time most effectively and productively.effectively and productively.

GOALSGOALS

Effective Goal SettingEffective Goal Setting

1.1. State goals in a positive mannerState goals in a positive manner

2.2. Define goals clearly and preciselyDefine goals clearly and precisely

3.3. Prioritize multiple goalsPrioritize multiple goals

4.4. Write goals downWrite goals down

5.5. Make sure each goal is at the right Make sure each goal is at the right levellevel

FlexibilityFlexibility

Remember that even with careful Remember that even with careful planning things do not always go as planning things do not always go as planned.planned.Unexpected emergencies, a new Unexpected emergencies, a new assignment, a complication, and / or assignment, a complication, and / or over scheduling are common events in over scheduling are common events in the life of a health care worker.the life of a health care worker.You may need to You may need to reevaluatereevaluate goals goals and and reviserevise the plan the plan..

**Remember Patience, Practice, and **Remember Patience, Practice, and Honest EffortHonest Effort****