Personal Appearance

Chapter 3.1

First Impressions

Important to present an appearance that inspires confidence & a positive self image

Within 20 seconds to 4 minutes, first impressions are made

Rules for appearance vary with profession Professional standards apply to most health

careers & should be observed to create a positive impression

Good Health

Involves promoting health & preventing disease

Should have a healthy appearance Diet – well balanced meals Rest – provides energy & ability,

amount varies from person to person Exercise – maintains circulation, muscle

tone, helps attitude, helps sleep

Good Health (cont)

Good posture – prevents fatigue, decreases muscle strain. Demo standing & sitting

Avoid tobacco & drugs – affects function of circulatory system, heart, & digestive system. Most facilities smoke-free

Avoid alcohol – affects mental function & decreases good decision-making, affects many body systems. Can result in job loss

Uniform

May be required Clean, neat, well-fitting, wrinkle free White/neutral undergarments under

white clothing Avoid extreme styles Find out what type & color of uniform is

required, then follow standards established by employer

Clothing

May wear in place of uniform if allowed Clean, neat, good repair Style should allow for body movement Appropriate for position – jeans? Washable fabrics best

Name tags

Most facilities require use of name badge or photo identification

States name, title, & department In some facilities, name badge is

required by law

Shoes

White shoes often required Should fit & provide good support Low heels best Avoid tennis shoes & sandals Clean daily & replace shoelaces

regularly Avoid colored or patterned stockings

Personal hygiene

Health worker is in close contact with others Control body odor – daily shower, deodorant

use, good oral hygiene, clean undergarments Avoid strong odors – tobacco, perfume,

scented hairsprays, aftershave lotion Certain scents can cause allergic reactions or

nausea

Fingernails

Keep short & clean Long nails cause injury, puncture or tear

gloves, transmit microorganisms Avoid colored polish – conceals dirt, polish

chips off, flash of colors can bother an ill person

If wearing polish, should be colorless Use hand lotion to prevent chapping &

dryness caused by frequent handwashing

Hair

Clean & neat Avoid fancy or extreme styles or

ornaments Pinned back & off of collar – prevents

hair from touching pt, falling on trays or equipment, avoids blocking vision during a procedure

Jewelry

Usually not permitted with uniform Can cause injury to pt & transmit pathogens Can wear watch, wedding band, & small

pierced earrings – NO hoops or dangling earrings

Body jewelry (nose, eyebrow, tongue, lip rings) detracts from professional appearance & is prohibited at many facilities

Make-up

Avoid excessive make-up Should create natural appearance &

add to attractiveness

Personal Characteristics

Chapter 3.2

Characteristics of a health care worker Empathy – ability to identify with &

understand another person’s feelings, situation, & motives. – Must have sincere interest in working with

people– Must care about & be able to communicate– Understand needs & learn effective

communication skills

Characteristics of a health care worker Honesty – truthfulness & integrity

– Must be able to trust you at all times– Willing to admit mistakes so they can be corrected

Dependability – accept the responsibility required by your position– Prompt in reporting to work, good attendance

record– Perform assigned tasks on time & accurately

Characteristics of a health care worker Willingness to learn – willing to learn new

things & adapt to change– Due to research, new inventions, tech– Learning new techniques or getting additional

education– Lifelong learning required

Patience – tolerant & understanding– Control your temper, count to 10– Deal with frustration & overcome obstacles

Characteristics of a health care worker Acceptance of criticism – willing to accept criticism

& learn from it– Pts, employers, co-workers, families– Some is constructive – allows you to improve your work– Everyone can improve performance

Enthusiasm – must enjoy your work & have a positive attitude– Enthusiasm is contagious, helps you do your best &

encourages others to do the same– Concentrate on positive points so that negatives are not

so important

Characteristics of a health care worker Self motivation – ability to begin or follow

through with a task– Should be able to determine what needs to be done

& do them without constant direction– Set goals & work to reach them

Tact – ability to say or do the kindest or most fitting thing in a difficult situation– Everyone has a right to feelings & should not be

judged as right or wrong– Shows consideration for the feelings of others– Requires constant practice

Characteristics of health care workers Competence – qualified & capable of

performing a task– Follow instructions, use approved procedures– Strive for accuracy & know your limits– Ask for help if necessary

Responsibility – willing to be held accountable for your actions– Others rely on you, you will meet expectations– Do what you are supposed to do

Characteristics of health care workers Discretion – using good judgment in what you

say & do– Confidential information– Need proper authorization to get info– Be discreet, ensure that pt’s rights are not violated

Team player – learn to work well with others– Each member of the team has different

responsibilities, but each must do his part– Working together accomplishes the goal faster

Characteristics of health care workers All characteristics must be practiced &

learned Some take more time to develop than

others Be aware of these characteristics &

strive to improve If practiced, you will be a valuable asset

to your employer

Teamwork

Chapter 3.3

Teamwork

Part of an interdisciplinary health care team Provides quality holistic care Consists of many professionals, with different

educations, backgrounds, ideas, & interests working together for the good of the pt.

What professionals might be involved in the care of a surgical pt?

Each team member has an important job to do Team working together = quality care given

Teamwork

Improves communication & continuity of care– Pt knows the caregivers & support staff– All team members help identify needs, offer

opinions, participate in decision making, & suggest others to help

– Allows a pt to become more educated about options & make informed decisions

Teamwork

Every person must understand the team member’s individual roles– Knowledge provides a picture of the total

care plan– Helps clarify responsibility & establishes

goals– Most teams have frequent PATIENT CARE

CONFERENCES– Pt may be an active participant

Leader

Important member of the team Responsible for:

– Organizing/coordinating activities– Encouraging new ideas & opinions– Motivating members to work towards goals– Assisting with problems– Monitoring progress– Providing reports & feedback

Good interpersonal relationships

Quality of care harmed by poor interpersonal relationships between team members

Team members have different cultural & ethnic backgrounds, BE SENSITIVE

Treat others as you would want to be treated

Good interpersonal relationships

Include:– Maintaining positive attitude & laughing at yourself– Being friendly & cooperative– Assisting others when they need help– Listening carefully to other’s ideas– Respecting the opinions of others– Being open-minded & willing to compromise– Avoiding criticism of other team members– Learning good communication skills– Performing your duties to the best of your ability

Legal responsibilities

All members of the team must function within legal boundaries

No team member should ever try to solve a problem or perform a duty that is beyond the range of duties permitted

Effective teamwork results from hard work, patience, communication, & practice.

When every individual participates fully in the team, the team achieves success

Professional leadership

Chapter 3.4

Leadership Definition – the skill or ability to encourage people to

work together & do their best to achieve common goals

Leader = One who leads or guides others, one who is in charge or in command of others

Leaders are NOT born, they are developed by their own efforts– Combine visions of excellence with the ability to inspire

others– Anyone can be a leader– Promote positive changes that benefit profession– Every contributing member can be a leader

Characteristics of a leader All characteristics can be learned Respect rights, dignity, opinions, & ability of others Understands democratic principles Works with a group to guide toward goal Understands own strengths/weakness Self-confident & willing to take a stand Communicates effectively Self-initiative, willing to work, completes tasks,

optimistic, open-minded, compromises Praises others & gives credit

Categories of leaders

Religious, political, club, organization, business, community, experts, & peers

Leaders develop based on involvement Any individual that joins an organization

can become a leader

Types of leaders

DEMOCRATIC– Encourages participation of all people in

decision-making or problem solving– Listens to others’ opinions & bases

decisions on what is best for the group– Guides individuals to a solution so the

groups can take responsibility for the decision

Types of leaders

LAISSEZ-FAIRE– Informal leader that strives for minimal

rules & regs– Allows individuals to function

independently– Hands off policy, makes decisions only

when forced to– Laissez-faire means “to let alone”

Types of leaders

AUTOCRATIC– Often called dictator– Maintains total rule, makes all decisions,

has difficulty delegating or sharing duties– Seldom asks others’ opinions, emphasizes

discipline, expects others to follow direction at all times

– Individuals follow this leader out of fear of punishment or extreme loyalty

Leadership

All types of leadership have advantages & disadvantages

Rarely, autocratic leader may be beneficial Democratic leader is usually most effective Remember to respect the rights & opinions of

others for effective leadership

Stress & Time Management

Chapter 3.5 – 3.6

Stress

Definition – the body’s reaction to any stimulus that requires a person to adjust to a changing environment– Change always initiates stress, even if it is good

Stressors – stimuli to change, alter behavior, or adapt to a situation– Can be situations, events, or concepts– External vs. internal forces

• External – new job• Internal – heart attack

Stressors cause

Body goes into an alarm mode– Called flight or fight response– Sympathetic nervous system works OT

• Adrenaline released (hormone from adrenals)• Blood vessels to heart & brain dilate• Blood vessels to skin & internal organs constrict• Pupils in eye dilate• Saliva decreases• Heart beats faster, blood pressure rises, respiratory rate

increases• Actions provide body with burst of energy & stamina

required to respond to stressor

After the stress is over

Parasympathetic nervous system works– Opposite reactions cause fatigue or exhaustion

while body recovers– If body is subjected to constant stress, normal

body functions are disrupted– Can result in serious illness or disease– Migraine headaches, anxiety reactions,

depression, allergies, asthma, digestive disorders, hypertension, insomnia, heart disease

Stress

Everyone experiences Amount of stress depends on the

individual reaction to & perception of the situation– Example – blood test can be stressful for

some, but routine for another

Causes of stress

Relationships Job or school Foods – caffeine, salt, sweets Illness & lifestyle Finances Family events – birth, death, marriage, divorce Overwork, boredom, negative feelings Time limitations – too much to do Failure to achieve goals

Response to stressors

If stress causes positive feelings, it can be helpful (achievement, excitement, anticipation, etc)

If stress causes negative feelings, it can be harmful (boredom, frustration, irritability, anger, depression, distrust, self-criticism, exhaustion)

Negative Stress

Can lead to substance abuse– Smoking, alcohol use, drug use, excessive

eating– Trying to find comfort & escape from

negative feelings Can lead to mental breakdown Be aware of stressors & learn to control

them

Steps to control stress

Identify stressors– Awareness of stressor & how you deal with

it, can you change it? Solve or eliminate the problem

– Gather info, assess situation, identify problem, list possible solutions, make a plan, act on solution, evaluate results, change solution if necessary

Managing stress

STOP – immediately stop to break out of stress response

BREATHE – slow deep breath to relieve tension

REFLECT – think about the problem & cause of stress

CHOOSE – decide how you want to deal with the stress

Stress-reducing techniques Live a healthy life – diet, exercise, rest Take a break from stressors Take a warm bath Escape to quiet music or book Relieve tension – slow deep breaths Rely on others – talk to a friend Meditate & use imagery Enjoy yourself & Renew yourself Think positively Develop outside interests Seek assistance & delegate, say NO

Remember

Stress is a constant presence & cannot be avoided

Be aware of causes & learn how to respond when a stress reaction occurs

Solve problems effectively Practice techniques to reduce the effect of

stress Patients also can experience stress as they

deal with their illness

Time Management

Definition – a system of practical skills that allow a person to use time in the most efficient & productive way possible

Helps prevent or reduce stress– Puts individual in charge– Keeps things in perspective– Increases productivity– Uses time effectively– Improves enjoyment of activities– Provides time for relaxing & enjoying life

Steps of time management Keep an activity record for several days

– Determines how you use time– Activities that are performed, amount of time they take, how

effective activity was– Wasted time obvious

Now begin to organize time– Schedule important projects– Work when feel energetic, rest when feel fatigued

Set goals to help you find your direction– Short term & long term

Set effective goals – accomplish not avoid– Prioritize & make sure goals are attainable

Steps of time management

Accomplish goals– Organize steps to help you accomplish– If goal achieved – enjoy accomplishment– If goal not achieved – evaluate &

determine why you failed• Unrealistic goal?• Lack skills or knowledge?• Another way to accomplish?• Failure can be positive

Time Management to meet goals

Analyze & prioritize– Review goals, list tasks to accomplish them most

important to least important– Delegate if necessary

Identify habits & preferences– Energy high vs energy low

Schedule tasks, make lists Plan your work – pace yourself Avoid distractions – screen calls, say no Take credit for job well done

Time management

Provides for organized & efficient use of time Things do not always go according to plan,

even with careful planning Common events – emergencies, new

assignments, complications, overscheduling Determine the reason for failure if time

management doesn’t work Reevaluate goals & revise plan Patience, practice, & an honest effort

necessary for success