The top six professional behaviors I would expect from a health care worker, or want them to exhibit are, in no particular order: patience, empathy, calmness, helpfulness, competence, and diligence (Hammer, 2000; HCPC, 2014). The reason I would expect these professional behaviors from a health care worker are threefold. First, since most interactions with a health care professional more often than not means that there is some sort of health issue that a patient is experiencing, it is very likely that the person will be scared, anxious, or nervous. Accordingly, a patient, calm, and emphatic health care worker will significantly put the patient at ease. Not only is this good for professional-patient interaction but also may assist in the patient being more helpful in the information they provide to the professional. Second, since most people do not want, dislike, or try to avoid having interactions with health care workers, for the reasons stated above; a patient, helpful, and empathic health care worker would lower barriers toward more initiating professional-patient relationships. Lastly, because medicine is a category of knowledge that most people do not readily understand, having a diligent and helpful health care worker that has the necessary expertise would facilitate a demystification of medicine, health and how it matters to the patient.
Since, these professional behaviors are internal to the individual health care, their outer appearance is not necessarily important. Naturally, if I did not yet know the health care professional and observed that they had a wrinkled uniform or was late, my initial reaction would not be positive. That is to say, I might say that they lacked professionalism. However, if I later got to know them and found that they had the characteristics listed above, I would say, despite their dress, they are professional. Similarly, without knowing more about the person, if I observed that they were distracted, or texting with seeing to me, I would indeed, question their professional ethics and perhaps seek assistance from another health care worker. If on a return visit I was seen by the same health care worker and s/he exhibited similar behavior, I would absolutely understand that s/he lacks suitable professional ethics.
Conversely, I would not think much of a nurse that arrived in a pressed uniform. As I would suspect that this is fundamental to his or her work but says nothing of whether they are actual a good professional (Limentani, 1999). If, on the other hand, the were friendly, explained what was occurring throughout the interaction, and was focused on me, then I would be impressed and think that s/he is quite professional. This is because s/he satisfied or fulfilled a number of the professional behaviors I expect of a healthcare worker, namely helpfulness, patience, and diligence. By conducting themselves in such a manner, I would feel more comfortable and hopeful that my ailment or issue can be successfully resolved.
I would endeavor to be like the nurse in the second example. Again, s/he exhibits several of the professional behaviors I expect from health care workers, so it is only natural that I would or should also try to comply with those standards that I set and expect for others. Patients enter into the health care system generally during a time of stress (both physical and mental), fear, and lack of control. These elements will only be increased if the health care professional acts in a manner that does not work to put them at ease, inform them, and generally to relieved the stress and fears that they have. To be sure, health care no only includes directly addressing the patient’s issue but putting them in the best position, on all levels, to make the most of their recovery.
References
Hammer, D. P. (2000). Professional attitudes and behaviors: The “A’s and B’s” of professionalism. Retrieved from http://www.aacp.org/resources/studentaffairspersonnel/studentaffairspolicies/documents/asandbsofprofessinalism.pdf
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). (2014). Professionalism in healthcare professionals. Retrieved from http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10003771Professionalisminhealthcareprofessionals.pdf
Limentani, A.E. (1999). The role of ethical principles in health care and the implications for ethical codes. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC479265/pdf/jmedeth00006-0032.pdf
