Desired Qualities in a Health Care Worker

Ethical Considerations

Desired qualities of a HCW

Listening to a stroke pt. express his/her frustrations

Asking for assistance when ambulating a post-operative pt. for the first time.

Arriving to work in a clean unwrinkled uniform.

Ethical Professional Standards As health care professionals you

would not date your pts. Health care workers (HCW) would not

discuss pt. lab results or any other personal information where other people can hear. Everything is considered confidential. You could be charged with violating professional ethical standards.

HCW don’t talk about patients in a negative manner.

HCW would not eat any of the pts. food, even if it is offered to you.

HCW’s do not accept money or gifts from pts. You are paid for your time. This could cause many problems. (Pts might expect different treatment.)

Chain of command

Any time a problem arises that your not qualified to answer you need to refer to your supervisor. This is the person who is in charge of you. If you don’t get satisfaction from this person then you work your way up the chain for command.

Know what you can and cannot do in your profession. Example: a nurse aide cannot start an IV.

Example an nurse aide would go to the registered nurse in charge if she had a problem.

If a nursing supervisor had a problem she would go to the board of nursing.

Characteristics of a HCW

Honest- HCW need to be honest. They should not clock in for someone if they are late so no one knows the person was late. That is dishonest!

Dependable- HCW need to be on time to work, perform there job well, and plan absences in advance if possible.

Kind- HCW need to be gentle and kind with pts. they are sick and don’t feel well.

Patience- All HCW need to have patience with all pt.

HCW should be respect themselves and their employers.

Check out what you know!

Which of the following is NOT an example of a desired quality in a health care worker?

Listening to a stroke pt. express his frustrations

Delaying a pts. bath until the next shift arrives

You work in a hospital, and one of your attractive pts. asks you out on a date. Your response should is:

“what time?”

“I’m flattered by your offer but I can’t date pts.”

Check out what you know..

Two nurses are overheard discussing a pt.s and his lab results in the cafeteria. Their supervisor wishes to formally charge the nurses with a violation of professional ethical standards. To whom is the report sent?

The board of nursing The director of nursing

A very frustrated nurse leaves a pts. room and is overheard by family members saying: “I will be so glad when Mr. Locklear is discharged—he is driving me crazy!” What principle has been violated?

Privileged communicationEthical professional

standards

Cont.

Mia told Lenny that she would be late for work tomorrow. He agreed to punch her time card for her so her tardiness would go unnoticed. Lenny’s action are unethical and :

DishonestIllegal Mary is a nurse who is working the

night shift and has not eaten all day. Mary sees a basket of fruit in a pts. room and helps herself to an apple and banana. Mary is guilty of:

Grand theftAn ethical violation

A pt. who is diabetic offers a nurse on a medical unit $50 to go and get him a beer. What should the nurse do?

“I’ll be right back, what brand do you drink?”

“No, I won’t do that.”“I cannot do that without a doctors order.” Jamie is a lab technician, gets to

work on time, performs his job well, and plans his absences in advance when possible. What quality does Jamie possess?

HonestyDependability