Unit AProfessional Development

Objective HO 01.01: Summarize professional

attributes.A. Personal characteristics1. Empathy2. Honesty3. Dependability4. Willingness to learn5. Patience6. Acceptance of criticism7. Patient8. Self-motivation9. Tact10. Competence11. Responsibility12. Discretion

Personal Attributes Empathy: Be able to

identify with and understand another person’s feelings, situation, and motives.

Honesty: Be truthful, show integrity, and be trustworthy.

Personal Attributes Cont.

Dependability: Accept responsibility, arrives early, avoid absences, perform assigned tasks accurately & on time.

Willingness to learn: Be wiling to learn and adapt to changes

Personal Attributes Cont. Patience: Be tolerant,

over come obstacles, deal with frustration & learn to control your temper.

Acceptance of Criticism: Be willing to accept criticism, learn from it & it improves your work.

Personal Attributes Cont. Enthusiasm: Enjoy

your work and display a positive attitude.

Self-Motivation: The ability to begin or follow through with a task without constant direction.

Personal Attributes Cont.

Tact: The ability to say or use the kindest words to fit a difficult situation.

Competence: Being qualified and capable of performing a task accurately 100% of the time.

Competence

If you are ever asked to perform any task that you have not been trained. ALWAYS say “I’m sorry, I have not been trained to do that.”

Personal Attributes Cont. Responsibility: Being

willing to be held accountable for your actions.

Discretion: Using good judgment in what you say and do.

B. Personal Appearance

1. Good health2. Professional attire

a. Nailsb. Hairc. Jewelryd. Shoese. Makeupf. Uniform

**Nails** Kept short and clean (if they are long

and/or pointed they could injure a patient.)

They can transmit germs Must be clear polish Hand cream must be used to prevent

the hands from being chapped and dry from hand washing

**Hair** Clean and Neat Styled attractively and easy to care for,

avoid crazy hairstyles or hair ornaments. Long hair must be pinned up. Hair will not fall on food trays, equipment

or patients.

YES!

NO!

**Jewelry** Avoid hoops or dangly earrings No facial Piercing Exceptions: watch, wedding ring,

and small pierced earrings

Never!!

Understandable

**Shoes** White Shoes, or shoes the fit the

uniform, NO outrageous colors!! Should fit and provide good support No tennis shoes or sandals Cleaned daily

YES! NO!!!

**Makeup** Avoid a lot of makeup Must be a natural appearance

**Uniform** Neat Well fitting NO WRINKLES Clean

Showering & Shaving

Being clean is a must for a health care worker.

Some strong odors may make some patients feel like they are going to die or just throw up.

Good Health Diet- Eating well-balanced meals and

nutritious food provides the body with the fuel necessary for optimum health.

Rest- Sleep helps provide energy & the ability to deal with stress.

Exercise- maintains circulation & improves muscle tone.

Good Posture- prevents fatigue & puts less stress on muscles

– Avoid Use of Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drugs- they all can seriously affect good health

Objective HO 01.02: Demonstrate employment

strategies.

Demonstrate employment strategies.

A. Job-keeping skills B. Letter of application* C. Resume* D. Job application* E. Job interview*

Job-keeping Skills

Strive to achieve the qualities needed for employment.

Correct grammar is a must, both written and spoken word, also correct spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure.

Report to work on the scheduled days and at the correct time.

Be prepared to work once you get to work. Develop a good work ethic.

Observe all legal and ethical responsibilities Follow the policies and procedures of your

workplace facility.

Job-keeping Skills

Be willing to learn new procedures and techniques Take the initiative; if you see a job that needs to be

done; do it. Have a positive attitude and be willing to work with

others. Concentrate on the good aspects of a job and the rewards it can provide

Take the responsibility for your mistakes. If you make a mistake, report it. Honesty is the best policy. Make every effort to correct your mistakes

Show a willingness to learn. Ask questions

Letter of Application Accompanies resume Goal is to get an interview Typewritten on good quality

paper MUST be neat, complete,correct

format,correct spelling, and grammar NO ERRORSAddress it the correct

individualcorrect spelling of name

Correct titleNo name? Address it to the

“Personnel Director” or to the department head

Contents Paragraph One

– Purpose for writing– Interest in position– If advertisement, name & date of

publication– If referred, name & title of the referring

person

Paragraph Two

Why you are qualified

Why you want to work there

Be brief, most information on resume

Paragraph Three– State “resume included”– May reference features of resume that might attract attention

Final Paragraph• Closure• Your contact info. (phone # & times available)• Thank You

Resume Thorough yet concise Education, experience, abilities Makes you appear qualified Typed, attractive, and well organized Good quality paper Correct spelling and punctuation Straight even margins If copies, be sure they are clear and appealing

in appearance Format varies; fins a style that fits you. You can

get copies of different styles from your teacher or use the examples given in DHO.

One page sufficient

Parts of a Resume Personal Identification Employment objective, career goal Educational background, special courses if

they support job position Employment experience, could include

volunteer experience Skills Other activities references

Resume Points to Consider Honesty the best

policy A or B average –

include it…if lower, don’t!

Select format that fits your information

Look at sample resumes

Be sure envelope is typed & addressed correctly

Job Application Fill out each item Correctly & neatly

DO NOT LEAVE BLANKS

Put “NA” when the area does not apply to you

Take your time

Have all required information

Read before you fill out the form.

Make sure information is correct & true

Preparing for Job Interview

Bring SS card, and/or resume Research the company/job so you’ll

show knowledge of the position you seek

Be sure you know the date and time of the interview, and the person’s name with whom you will interview

Dress appropriately! A dark suit is usually a good idea

Wear conservative makeup, hair,nails

Be sure your teeth are clean, and wear antiperspirant

Arrive 10-15 minutes early

Job Interview Greet Interviewer by name, smile, introduce yourself,firm handshake Use correct grammar Speak slowly and clearly, Don’t mumble Be polite Maintain eye contact Answer questions thoroughly Do NOT smoke, Chew gum, or eat anything Sit up straight Smile, do not giggle Be yourself Listen carefully to the interviewer & be sure you answer the questions asked, don’t interrupt Never discuss personal problems or finances Don’t criticize former employers

Continued.. Answer questions truthfully

Think before you respond

Brag about yourself a little

Don’t immediately ask about salary or benefits

You should ask about the job responsibilities, career opportunities

Don’t expect to know about the job at the end of the interview

At the end, thank the interviewer and shake hands

Send a thank-you note, indicating your continued interest in the job

Common Interview Questions

Why do you want to work here? What makes you think you can do this

job? What work experience have you had? Why did you leave? What are you career goals? What do you plan to be doing 5 years from

now? What salary do you expect? Why should we hire you?

Objective HO 01.03: Communicate effectively in a

clinical setting.

A. Modes of communicationVerbal – speaking wordsNonverbal – body language, gestures, facial

expressions and touchWritten communication

Objective HO 01.03: Communicate effectively in a

clinical setting.1.Communication modela.Senderb.Messagec.Receiverd.Feedback

Communication Sender: person who

begins the process of creating a message or material to be communicated.

Message: information to be communicated

Communication Receiver: Person for

whom the message is intended; interprets the meaning of the message

Feedback: the receiver's way of insuring that the message that is understood is the same as the message that was sent; takes place after the receiver has interpreted the message.

Communicate effectively in a clinical setting.

B. Barriers1. Language2. Culture3. Sensory4. Life experiences5. Physical6. Age7. Bias

Barriers to Communication

Defined as anything that gets in the way of clear communication.

Language differences – people who don’t speak English may have a difficult time

communicating. You should: Speak slowly Use nonverbal communication (smile) Avoid tendency to speak louder Find an interpreter Eye contact – in some cultures, it’s not

acceptable, and looking down is a sign of respect

Terminal illness – in some cultures, the patient is NOT told his/her prognosis, and family members are responsible for making care decisions

Touch – in some cultures, it is wrong to touch someone on the head

Personal care – in some cultures, only family members provide personal care

Respect and acceptance of cultural diversity is essential for any health care worker.

Deal with Values, Beliefs, Attitudes and Customs.

Each cultural group has beliefs and practices regarding health and illness

Some cultures believe the body needs balance – if the body is cold, they eat hot foods.

Some cultures believe illness is due to demons and evil spirits

Some cultures believe health is a reward from God, and illness is punishment from God

Cultural beliefs must be respected.

Patients may practice their cultural remedies in addition to modern healthcare techniques.

Cultural diversity may interfere with communication in other ways.

Three Common Causes:

1. Physical disabilities

2. Psychological attitudes & prejudice

3. Cultural diversity

Physical Disabilities may include:

Deafness or hearing loss

Blindness or impaired vision

Aphasia or speech disabilities

To improve communication with the hearing impaired:

Use body language such as gestures and signs.

Speak clearly in short sentences.

Face the individual to facilitate lip reading.

Write messages if necessary.

Make sure hearing aids are working properly.

To improve communication with the visually impaired:

Use a soft tone of voice.

Describe events that are occurring.

Announce your presence when entering a room.

Explain sounds or noises.

Use touch when appropriate

What about someone with aphasia or speech impairments?

They have difficulty remembering the correct words, may not be able to pronounce certain words, and may have slurred speech.

The health care worker must be patient

Allow them to try and speak Encourage them to take their

time Repeat message to assure

accuracy Encourage them to use gestures

or point to objects Provide pen and paper if they

can write Use pictures with key messages

to communicate

Psychological Barriers Caused by: 1. Prejudice 2. Attitudes 3. Personality

What other stereotypes can affect communications?

Health care workers must learn to put prejudice aside and show respect for all individuals. Is that possible?

Communicate effectively in a clinical setting.

Listening skillsa. Selective listeningb. Eye contactc. Reflection

Verbal/nonverbal Communication

a. Body languageb. Voice tonec. Message discrepancyd. Written

Reflective Responses(Deep, thoughtful or Insightful)

Most of the time you would reflect the worry or the response back to the patient. This allows the patient to think and respond.

Good Listening Skills Give full attention to the person who is speaking. Eliminate distractions. Make direct eye contact. Indicate your interest. Lean into the speaker.

Use phrases such as, “Uh-huh,” “I understand,” and “I see.”

Do not interrupt. Wait your turn. Listen to feelings and gestures as well as words. Try to get the general idea of what someone is

saying. Do not shift attention from the other person to

yourself. Do not decide too early that the subject matter is

too hard, too easy, or too upsetting. Ask questions for clarification. Avoid making judgments. Do not spend too much time thinking about what

you are going to say. Repeat the idea back to the speaker. Summarize; recap the highlights.

When verbal message does not match non-verbal message it called message discrepancy's.

When this happens, ask questions to clarify the patient’s intention.

Health care workers must have competent communication skills.

E. Non-verbal communicationsNon-Verbal CommunicationsGestures-Every culture has its

own gestures and customs. Each country has its own

unique profile.

Communicate effectively in a clinical setting.

C. Defense mechanisms

1.Rationalization2.Projection3.Displacement4.Compensation5.Daydreaming6.Repression7.Denial8.Withdrawal

Rationalization

A perceived controversial behaviors or feelings are explained in a rational or logical manner to avoid the true explanation of the behavior or feeling in question.

Displacement

A transfer of emotion from the original focus to another less threatening person or object.

I.e. You are angry at the boss so you kick the family dog.

Compensation

Jennifer was an All-American soccer player who was injured trying out for the Olympic team

in her sophomore year of college. She had to quit playing soccerdue to the injury but decided to major in sports medicine and become an athletic trainer.Trading one thing for another.

Daydreaming

To be distracted by thinking of anything that’s not related to what is presently going on.

I.e. A young teenage girl confined to a wheelchair imagines herself as a ballerina.

Repression

To push unpleasant memories into subconscious mind.

Denial

Pretending that an uncomfortable thing did not happen.

I.e. Holocaust did not happen.

Withdrawal

A co-worker is constantly criticizing your work, so you ask to be transferred to another floor.

Communicate effectively in a clinical setting.

Teamwork1. Team concepts2. Characteristics of effective teams3. Roles of team participants4. Compromise5. Conflict resolution

Teamwork

Provides appropriate quality care.

THE FOUNDATION OF TEAMWORK:THE FIVE Cs

Collaboration Cooperation Contribution Communication Commitment