Workplace Principles

Workplace Principles

Objectives • Students will: • Demonstrate professionalism when interacting with fellow students, co-workers, and clients. • Respect interdisciplinary roles of team members. • Report activities and behaviors by self and others that adversely affect the health, safety, or welfare of students, clients, and co-workers. • Demonstrate fairness and equal treatment of all persons. • Describe the qualities of a successful leader. • Demonstrate conflict management skills • Develop an employment portfolio including a cover letter, resume, and reference page. • Identify sources for job leads and employer contacts. • Complete application forms. • Prepare and practice for job interviews. • Practice job follow-up strategies (job acceptance and job rejection) • Review pre-employment tests.

Work Ethics • Behavior in the workplace that includes: • How you look • What you say • How you behave • How you treat others • How you work with others • You’re work ethics mean the difference between success and failure on the job.

Contents Personal Qualities Interpersonal Skills Job Seeking Skills

Personal Qualities

Personal Appearance • Health care workers must practice healthy habits and wear professional garments. • When health care workers present a positive self-image, patients are more likely to feel confident about the care they receive

Good Health • Good nutrition • Regular physical activity • Adequate sleep • Effective stress management • Good posture • Avoiding harmful substances

Dress Requirements • Every medical facility has dress requirements for the employees. • The requirements for dress vary by facility, but most facilities have rules regarding: • Uniform • Clothing • Shoes • Name badge • Jewelry

Hygiene • Health care workers must take special care to maintain good hygiene, including: • Controlled body odor and cleanliness • Groomed hair and fingernails • Clean, appropriate hairstyles • Tasteful makeup

Desirable Traits • Positive Attitude • Flexibility • Honesty • Responsibility • Commitment • Enthusiasm • Follow the Rules • Communication • Interaction • Personal and Professional Growth

Stress • Stress is what you feel when you have to handle more than you are used to. • Your body responds as though you are in danger. • It makes hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster, and give you a burst of energy. • This is called the fight-or-flight stress response.

Stress • If stress happens too often or lasts too long, it can have bad effects. • It is linked to headaches, an upset stomach, back pain, and trouble sleeping. • It weakens your immune system, making it harder to fight off disease or make health problems worse. • It can make you moody, tense, or depressed. • Your relationships may suffer, and you may not do well at work or school.

Stress • Common causes include: • Health & emotional issues • Relationships • Major life changes • Your job • Responsibilities and/or activities

Short Term Effects of Stress • Increased heart rate • Headache • Stiff neck / tight shoulders • Back pain • Increased respirations • Sweating / sweaty palms • Upset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea

Long Term Effects of Stress • Immune system • More likely to get sick and can make your symptoms of chronic illness worse. • Heart • Linked to high BP, abnormal heartbeat, and is linked to heart disease. • Muscles • Constant tension from stress can lead to neck, shoulder, and low back pain. • Stomach • Can worsen symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or ulcerative colitis. • Lungs • Stress can make symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) worse. • Skin • Skin problems such as acne and psoriasis are made worse by stress

Coping Strategies Positive • Listening to music • Playing with a pet • Laughing or crying • Going out with a friend • Taking a bath or shower • Writing, painting, or other creative activity • Praying or going to church • Exercising or getting outdoors to enjoy nature • Talking with a or close friend • Gardening or making home repairs • Practicing deep breathing, meditation, or muscle relaxation Negative • Criticizing yourself • Driving fast in a car • Chewing your fingernails • Becoming aggressive or violent • Eating too much or too little or drinking a lot of coffee • Smoking or chewing tobacco • Drinking alcohol • Yelling at your family or friends • Taking a recreational drug to calm yourself • Avoiding social contact *Jeannette Curtis WebMd

Teamwork • Every employee at a health care facility is a member of a health care team. • All members of the team must work as a cohesive unit to provide the best possible health care for patients.

Effective Teams • Mutual respect • Healthy interpersonal relationships • Open communication • Frequent conferences • Team identity • Positive interactions

Conflict Resolution • Conflicts are natural and do not indicate that a team is unsuccessful. • There are many strategies that health care worker can use to resolve conflicts. Each strategy involves compromise. • Compromise is negotiating to reach a mutual agreement.

Conflict Resolution Strategies • The Win/Win Strategy - Team members shift their focus from “I want to win” to “I want you and I to win.” • The Willingness to Resolve Strategy - This strategy works by shifting from an outward attack to an inward evaluation. • The Broadening Perspectives Strategy - all viewpoints are shared and given equal consideration.

Leadership • Leadership is the ability to motivate people to work together and to achieve a common goal. • A team is not limited to one leader. Anyone can be a leader by contributing to the team and working hard. • The most effective way to lead is by example.

Types of Leaders • Democratic Leaders – are team-oriented • Laissez-faire Leaders – allows individuals to function independently • Autocratic Leaders – takes full responsibility for the decision-making process

Takes initiative Respects others Works well with a group Leads by example Understands personal strengths and weaknesses Communicates successfully Recognizes abilities in others Maintains high standards Conducts productive meetings Keeps an open mind Handles conflict appropriately Adapts to change Demonstrates integrity Practices patience and self-control Attributes success to the team Characteristics of Leaders

Attitudes to Avoid • Inflexible • Short tempered • Close minded • Judgmental • Prejudiced • Attitude of superiority • Lazy • Unapproachable • Disrespectful

Time Management • Time management is a set of skills that helps people to be efficient and productive with their time. • By using time management skills, health care workers can reduce their stress and maintain proper perspective on their jobs and lives.

Time Management Strategies and Tools • Set clear goals. • Making a time management plan. • Prioritize • Identify habits • Schedule tasks • Make a “to do “ list • Plan ahead. • Avoid distractions • Use appropriate tools such as: • daily planners • calendars, • report sheets • electronic devices, phones, PDA’s, etc

Problem Solving • The ability to analyze a situation and reach a reasonable conclusion. • The difference between an average health care worker and an excellent health care worker is often the ability to solve problems. • Requires looking at the big picture and combining factual knowledge with creative thinking.

Problem Solving Method • Identify the problem • What is the basis of the problem? • What is causing the problem? • Identify the objective that must be achieved • What is the goal? • What must be accomplished? What is the big picture? • Identify the circumstances that affect the problem • What are the facts? • What is preventing the goal or task from being accomplished? • Name all possible solutions • How might the problem be eliminated? • How might the goal be adapted? • Make and implement a plan • Which solution will be the most effective? • Is the solution reasonable? • Evaluate the results • Did the solution solve the problem?

Workplace Principles