Professional Responsibilities

1. Professional Responsibilities Principle #2

2. Professional Development • Whatever career you choose to follow there will be a commitment to continue to further your knowledge within that field. • Constant evolving data forces the health care professional to stay “up to date” on all the current practices. This insures patients get the best care possible • Professional development can be accomplished in many ways • Attending national, state, and local professional meetings • Reviewing professional journals • Taking online courses • Taking classes or furthering education at a college or university

3. Professional Development • Health care professionals must also do their part to help educate the next generation within their field. • This is done by having a sound understanding of the prime principles that drive their profession • They should also have some knowledge in curriculum and instruction. • Education of students can be taxing but with practice comes experience and with that come a better understanding of how to convey information to learners • Professionals must also educate the public about their profession to raise awareness about what they can do and how that effects them.

4. Professional Development • There may come a time when dealing with the sick and injured that a health care professional has to bec0me councilor. • When in this position it is vital to be able to see their point of view and help answer questions that will inevitably come up. • Having a diverse background in knowledge and also people can really make these counseling sessions a successful time in the process • When serving in this position it is best to listen first, offer several solutions and allow the patient to pick which course of action is best for them.

5. Personal Qualities to be Successful • Stamina and Adaptability • This field is not an 8-5 type job • Requires abundant energy, vitality and physical and emotional stability • These professions can lead to “burn out” or a feeling of exhaustion and dissatisfaction with work. • Signs include: excessive anger, blaming others, guilt , being tired, sleep problems, family problems, self preoccupation • When your concern is focused on others all the time, sometimes you forget to concern yourself with the ones closest to you, including yourself. • Making sure that you always take ample time for family and self should reduce the chance of “burnout”

6. Personal Qualities to be Successful • Empathy • Understanding where and what the patient is feeling • The professional should also not only understand but also a desire to alleviate the complaint that bought them to you in the first place.

7. Personal Qualities to be Successful • Sense of Humor • Rated as one of the highest attributes that a professional can have by patients • Helps to release tension and relax the atmosphere • Too serious and too clinical leads to difficulty relating to patients • Caution too relaxed and too jovial can lead to not being taken seriously. • Must find the happy medium and have a good sense about when to be serious.

8. Personal Qualities to be Successful • Communication • The fields require constant flow of both written and oral communication. • Being able talk and receive messages in clear and concise manner makes for successful relationships from both patients and colleagues • One of the first steps towards litigation is when the communication process breaks down. • Having constant feed back and open channels allows for better communication and less chance of break downs

9. Personal Qualities to be Successful • Intellectual Curiosity • The health care field is very diverse and ever changing • There must be a commitment to life long learning • With the fields constantly changing and new techniques being used everyday, being the best professional possible is something that is owed to patients

10. Personal Qualities to be Successful • Ethical Practices( NATA samples) • Holding yourself to a higher standard is something we all should do, especially in the health care fields • Sometime the professional organizations do it for us like the examples below • Respect the rights, welfare and dignity of all individuals • Comply with the laws and regulations governing the practice of athletic training • Except the responsibility for the exercise of sound judgement • Maintain and promote high standards in the provision of services • Not engage in conduct that leads to a conflict of interest or that adversely reflects the profession • Acting in a manner that is unethical or unbecoming to the profession can ultimately lose their certification

11. Personal Qualities to be Successful • Professional Memberships • Becoming active in professional organizations is a vital part of perfecting the craft. • Professional organizations are constantly upgrading and refining their professions keeping their members on the cutting edge of practices • It is important to be apart and active in this endeavor for the sake of patients