MLAB 2360 Clinical I

1. MLAB 2360 Clinical I Pillars of Professionalism

2. Professional: What Does it Mean? • Exhibiting a courteous, conscientious and business-like manner in the workplace • Courteous: follow the golden rule • Conscientious: Be prepared, do quality work • Business-like: behave appropriately, present yourself well

3. Why is Professional Behavior Important? • Creates a sense of trust and safety among patients and co-workers • Promotes confidence in the facility • Creates an positive, uplifting and optimistic environment

4. What’s in it for me? • You will be treated with respect and courtesy • You will be perceived as prepared, effective and worthy

5. Professional behaviors • Workers are considered professional when they do certain tasks and refrain from doing other tasks • Time & Place for Everything • Personal calls, cell phones, making appointments • Personal Use of Supplies & Equipment • Computers, copy machines, printers, etc. • Discussing Personal Problems • Discussing Medical Conditions • Borrowing & Lending Money • Soliciting

6. Professional Development • Develop your “person” • Join ASCLS and/ or ASCP • Create a resume to track your accomplishments • Attend continuing education seminars • Participate in lab week

7. Professional Development • Serve the Community • Be a lobbyist for licensure • Recruit in the high schools • Participate in health or wellness fairs • Volunteer in community clinics • Donate blood

8. TACLS: Your State Society • Strength in numbers with licensure initiatives and other legislation (loan forgiveness, scholarships, etc.) • Networking • Continuing education: Annual Meetings • 2012: TACLS Annual Meeting in Austin at ACC and <$50 registration fee. • 2012 ASCLS Convention in Houston in July • Inspiration • Discounts

9. Pillars

10. Pillars • Integrity • Accountability • Responsibility • If you make an error, own up to it • Pre-analytical errors • Follow through • Initiative • Ask for Help

11. Pillars • Punctuality • Attendance • Trust • Operations depend on their workforce • Don’t take advantage of your co-workers

12. Pillars • Attention to Detail • Strive for zero errors • Be on alert for preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical phases of testing

13. Pillars • Customer Service • Co-workers, patients, doctors and other facility employees are our customers • Treat every customer as you would like to be treated

14. Pillars • Organizational Skills • Learn how to prioritize • Speed will come with experience • Develop a routine and stick to it

15. Pillars • Communication • Elements • Verbal: word choices, vocabulary • Vocal: volume & pace, tone, emphasis, inflection • Visual: facial expression, body language/posture, appearance

16. Communication • Tips for Success • Chose appropriate times • Reduce/ Eliminate barriers • Create a positive environment • Use various delivery mediums • Provide a precise message Sender • Check for understanding • Listen • React with eye contact, nods Receiver • Respond by acknowledging, ask questions

17. Creating a Positive Environment • Just because “we have always done it this way” does not mean a behavior is acceptable • Creating a positive ripple: • You must be willing to identify and stop tolerating/ enabling what is not working. You should do the right thing even though it may be unpopular • Use initiative to teach others to do the same

18. How Can You Be a Positive Force in the Workplace? • Observe yourself in action • Stop being negative • Learn to respect people’s humanity and their right to be by themselves • Recognize negativity around you • Speak up • Make conversations constructive • Offer praise

19. Ethics

20. Ethics • How does one act ethically? • How do I know if I am ethical? • What should I do if I find practices in my lab are not passing the ethical test?

21. Ethics • What is “ethics”? • According to the American College Dictionary, “ethics” means: 1. The principles of morality, including both the science of the good and the nature of the right 2. The rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions, as in “medical ethics” 3. Moral principles, as of an individual 4. The science of the human character in its ideal state

22. Ethics • All of us have values even though we may not know it or admit it to ourselves. • Sometimes our values don’t make themselves apparent until we are confronted with a tough issue or decision.

23. Ethical Violations • Lying or Distorting facts • Blaming others for one’s mistakes • Taking credit for others work • HIPPA violation • Abusing sick time • Borrowing supplies

24. Most professions have established a Code of Conduct or a Code of Ethics for people in the field • Example: Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath, Nurses take the Florence Nightingale Oath • The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Sciences has established a Code of Ethics for clinical laboratory professionals. It can be found at http://www.ascls.org/about/ethics.asp

25. The ASCLS Code of Ethics basically states that all laboratory professionals have: • I. Duty to the Patient • II. Duty to Colleagues and the Profession • III. Duty to Society

26. ASCLS Pledge to the ProfessionAs a clinical laboratory professional, I strive to: • Maintain and promote standards of excellence in performing and advancing the art and science of my profession • Preserve the dignity and privacy of others • Uphold and maintain the dignity and respect of our profession • Seek to establish cooperative and respectful working relationships with other health professionals • Contribute to the general well being of the community. I will actively demonstrate my commitment to these responsibilities throughout my professional life.

27. The ASCLS Code of Ethics and Pledge to the Profession can serve as a “moral compass” to guide clinical laboratory professionals in their jobs and even in their interactions with friends and family. • Decision-making can be tough in any situation, but particularly tough when you are a recent graduate or when you are the only person working in the lab when a decision is needed.

28. Value-Based Decision-Making Model • State the problem: • Is it an ethical problem or a situation with an ethical component • Identify the ethical concerns (i.e. legality) • Identify who is affected • Collect additional information • Solid proof, document the facts • Identify resources available- who to contact • Look for alternative solutions- consider side effects • Decide how the solution should be implemented • Frame a choice from the possible alternative solutions and compare it with personal or professional values • List the short and long term consequences of the choice.

29. Example of using the Value-Based Decision-Making Model • The Lead MLT is the only staff person left in the lab on a Saturday evening. Two technicians arrive for the midnight shift. One of the technicians seems to be under the influence of something; her gait is unsteady and her speech is slurred. • What would you do?

30. Example of using the Value-Based Decision-Making Model (cont’d) • Using the Decision-Making Model outlined on previous slide , this is what the Lead MLT decided: • 1. The problem is that this midnight tech might be drunk or under the influence of some drug and her ability to function may be impaired. • 2. The Lead MLT values excellent patient care and accurate laboratory testing. He also values maintaining a good working relationship with the midnight tech and her friendship. Too, he values his free time and a good night’s sleep.

31. Example of using the Value-Based Decision-Making Model (cont’d) • 3. The Lead MLT could: • A. Stay for a double shift, assigning the midnight MLT to harmless tasks • B. He could warn the other midnight tech about this possibly impaired MLT, leave, and hope for the best • C. He could call his supervisor for a decision • D. He could ignore the situation and hope for the best

32. Example of using the Value-Based Decision-Making Model (cont’d) • 4. This Lead MLT chose alternative D (ignored the situation and hoped for the best). He decided that his friendship with this person and maintaining a good working relationship with her, along with wanting his free time and a good night’s sleep, was priority.

33. Example of using the Value-Based Decision-Making Model (cont’d) • 5. Short-term consequences of his decision include: • A. The Lead MLT could go home and not work a double shift. • B. His supervisor would not have to be disturbed. • C. The impaired employee could work with no reprimands. • 6. Long- term consequences are that laboratory errors could affect patient care.

34. Example of using the Value-Based Decision-Making Model (cont’d) • Is this the decision you would have made? Maybe, maybe not. It is difficult to know until you are actually in that situation.