So you want to be a health care professional?

1. So you want to be a health care professional?

2. Please ponder… “Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.” – Henry Beecher “How things look on the outside of us depends on how things are on the inside of us.”

3. Do Now 1. Today, what does your appearance say about you? 2. Describe your most recent trip to a medical/dental office in terms of appearance

4. Objectives • Discuss the importance of proper health care training • Describe the proper appearance for a health care worker • Discuss standards of behavior • Discuss the importance of confidentiality when working with patient records

5. Health Care Education • Certification: competency through examination • Degrees awarded after • Associate’s: 2 years • Bachelor’s: 4 years • Master’s: 1-6 years post-graduation • Doctoral: highest certificate of membership in academic community

6. Importance of Research & Training • Before you get there: • Research schools/programs • Talk to professionals • WORK HARD at your studies!! • When you are there: • Procedures & knowledge change ALL THE TIME! • Training sessions & Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) • Talk to colleagues • Read professional journals

7. Appearance A professional appearance makes a statement about your commitment to patient-care What does a well-groomed & well-dressed staff signal to everyone in the facility?

8. Appearance …That staff are interested in the welfare of the patient! So look efficient, professional & CAPABLE of providing medical care.

9. Recommendations for Appearance • Dress according to facility’s dress code (uniform?) • Clothes should be clean, neat, & in good repair • NO EXTREME FASHION…Ok Lady Gaga?! • Undergarments should match body color  Not to show • When wearing a skirt, wear full-length hose without runs • Wear clean & appropriate shoes

10. Recommendations for Appearance • Keep jewelry to a minimum • Can cause injury to patient • Transmit germs • Body piercings should not be visible • Do not indicate a professional appearance • Can cause infections • Wear your name badge • Every day & in view of patients/clients

11. Don’t even think about it!

12. Try this on for size

13. Look sharp

14. Hygiene • Brush your teeth at least 2x/day • Floss daily • Use mouthwash or breath mints • Bathe daily…DAILY

15. Hygiene • Use deodorant & Avoid perfume • Unscented is best • ill & nauseated patients • Allergies • Wear hair up & off your collar • Clear view • Avoid your hair touching patient

16. Shout out! • Conservative make-up • Do not use perfume/cologne • Keep nails short, clean & bare (or lightly-colored polish) • Long nails scratch & polish chips • Do not use cologne/strong aftershave • Keep beard/mustache neatly trimmed • Shave daily  NO stubble! LADIES GENTLEMEN

17. behavior • Maintain a calm, courteous manner • Listen carefully when patients/staff speak with you • Monitor patients  ensures safety • Perform tasks efficiently & carefully

18. Behavior • Do NOT gossip about patients/staff • Do NOT use coarse or offensive language • Do NOT practice horseplay/dangerous behavior • Watch for hazardous situations & correct when possible • FOLLOW SAFETY PROCEDURES

19. Personal characteristics • Empathy – the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, & experiencing the feelings, thoughts, & experiences of another • Honesty – the quality, condition, or characteristic of being fair, truthful, and morally upright • Dependability – to be reliable or trustworthy

20. Personal characteristics • Willingness to learn – the openness to admit that you don’t know the answer or that you can be helped to understand a situation more fully • Patience – the ability to put up with waiting, delay, or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset, or to act calmly when faced with difficulties • Acceptance of feedback – the ability to deal with disapproval or a suggestion that something can be improved

21. Personal characteristics • Enthusiasm – excited interest in or eagerness to do something • Self-motivation – energetic, ambitious & able to get things done without being directed by others • Tact – ability to avoid giving offense; an intuitive sense of what is right or appropriate • Competence – ability to do something well, measured against a standard, especially ability acquired through experience

22. Personal characteristics • Responsibility – accountability; the state of being accountable to somebody or for something • Discretion – tact; the good judgment & sensitivity needed to avoid embarrassing or upsetting others

23. Personal characteristics • Team player – somebody who works cooperatively; a member of a group who cooperates with other people & who subordinates personal interests in order to achieve a common goal HEALTH CARE IS A TEAM ACTIVITY

24. Body language Every move you make sends a message!

25. Body language & messages Positive • Good eye contact • Smiling • Paying CLOSE attention Negative • No eye contact • Closed arms Causes other person to doubt your efficiency

26. Body language • Make eye contact with patients as they enter the health care facility  welcoming • Maintain eye contact as you converse with patients  shows interest • SMILE! Let people know you are friendly  • Keep an open stance • Crossed arms/hands  unwillingness to listen/communication barrier

27. Body language • Give your full attention to ONE patient at a time, even when you have multiple tasks • Keep hands away from your mouth when speaking  “open” exchange • Sit/stand at eye level with patients as you converse • Avoid standing over patients

28. Maintaining confidentiality • Confidentiality: A promise to keep certain information secret • What kinds of information should we keep secret? • Why do we (health care providers) want to keep this information confidential?

29. Confidentiality Medical records contain private health information that must NOT be shared with people who are not involved in the patient’s health care • In the wrong hands, this information may damage patient’s personal reputation/financial well-being

30. Confidentiality • Each patient signs a confidentiality form before receiving treatment • LEGALLY BINDING! • Promises that medical facility will protect patient information • Any health care provider who does NOT follow procedure is reprimanded • Fined or fired

31. HIPAA The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) • THIS IS A LAW! • Regulates the sharing of medical information • Ensures privacy • All employees of a health care system must be taught HIPAA regulations • Violations must be reported

32. HIPAA • Information protected • Information in medical records • Conversations between health care providers about patient care or treatment • Health insurance information • Patient billing information • Most other information about a patient’s health

33. The rationale of hipaa Confidential communications are protected under law against any disclosure (forced or voluntary) over the objection of the patient Rationale A level of trust must exist between a physician & patient so the physician can properly treat patients. The patient cannot be FEARFUL of telling the TRUTH!

34. Exemptions to hipaa • Suspected fraud • Births • Deaths • Injuries caused by violence • Child abuse • Communicable diseases • Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

35. Ethical roles & responsibilities

36. Medical Ethics • Long history dating back to Hippocratic Oath (4th century BC) • Western medical ethics evolved to include values from • Islam • Judaism • Christianity • Recent times • Incorporation of legal principles to FORMALIZE what conduct is expected

37. The code of ethics • Beneficence: promote the wellbeing of others. Taking actions that serve the best interests of patients. • Non-maleficence: it is more important not to harm your patient, than to do them good. • “At first, do NO harm” • Autonomy: the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision • Roots: “auto” = self; “nomos” = law  self-rule

38. The Code of Ethics • Justice: concerns the distribution of scarce health resources, and the decision of who gets what treatment (fairness and equality). • Dignity: the patient and the person treating the patient have the right to dignity • Truthfulness/Honesty: Full disclosure of information to patients • Informed consent • Nuremberg Trial • Tuskegee Syphilis Trial

39. Why do we need ethics? • To help you in ethical dilemmas!! • To guide you in your practice Values such as these do NOT give answers as to how to handle a particular situation, but provide a useful framework for understanding conflicts.

40. Finding the right occupation for you

41. Things to consider • Interests: What you like to do & what you do NOT like to do • Values: The importance that you place on various elements in your life • Helps you avoid compromising on the things that are the MOST important to you & prioritize your work-related values • Ability: Something you do well • You have many abilities

42. Where to look for information There are many resources to help you research occupations. • Website that list job titles, tasks & duties • Dictionary of Occupational Titles www.occupationalinfo.org • Occupational Outlook Handbook www.bls.gov/oco/

43. Activity Please refer to worksheet #18-19