OF BEING A PROFESSIONAL Work and... · The receptionist complained because Trina kept leaving open...

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A Professional Growth Module:

THE As & Bs (Attitudes & Behaviors) OF BEING A PROFESSIONAL

© 1998-2015

May be copied for use within each physical

location that purchases this inservice topic.

We hope you enjoy this inservice, prepared by

registered nurses especially

for nursing assistants like you!

After finishing this inservice, you will be

able to:

Discuss the attitudes and behaviors necessary for

being a professional.

Outline the standard professional dress code

for all CNAs.

List at least 3 ways you can show respect for your clients

and their families.

Identify the behaviors that indicate when a person has

accountability, reliability and integrity.

Demonstrate professional attitudes and behaviors in

your daily work with clients, their families, your co-workers and

your supervisor.

If you are studying the inservice on your own, please do the following:

Read through all the material. You may find it useful to have a highlighting marker nearby as you read. Highlight any information that is new to you or that you feel is especially important.

If you have questions about anything you read, please ask _________________________.

Take the quiz. Think about each statement and pick the best answer.

Check with your supervisor for the right answers. You need 8 correct to pass!

Print your name, write in the date, and then sign your name.

Keep the inservice information for yourself and turn in the quiz page to _____________________________ no later than _______________. Show your Inservice Club Membership Card to ___________________ so that it can be initialed.

Email In the Know at [email protected] with your comments and/or suggestions for improving this inservice.

THANK YOU!

Instructions for the Learner

A Professional Growth Module:

THE As & Bs (Attitudes & Behaviors)

OF BEING A PROFESSIONAL

Developing Top-Notch CNAs, One Inservice at a Time

A Professional Growth Module: The As & Bs (Attitudes & Behaviors) of Being a Professional

Trina is a CNA in a long term care facility. She has only been on the job for six weeks, but there have already been several complaints.

One client complained to the Director of Nursing because Trina wore an earpiece and took personal calls while performing care.

A co-worker complained because when she asked for Trina’s help answering call-lights, Trina told her she had her own call-lights to worry about.

A doctor complained when he saw Trina’s long hair fall in a client’s tray when she delivered lunch.

The receptionist complained because Trina kept leaving open charts on the front desk, in plain view of anyone who passed by.

When Trina’s supervisor got the fourth complaint, she scheduled a meeting to discuss the problems and try to come up with a solution.

Trina entered the meeting ready for a fight. The supervisor went over the complaints she received, but Trina remained defensive. For each complaint, Trina had an excuse. She needed her phone so her children could reach her. She couldn’t tie her hair back because ponytails gave her headaches. She flat-out denied leaving charts open. And she told her supervisor she’d help another nurse answer call-lights just as soon as she saw someone help her.

Did you spot Trina’s unprofessional attitudes and behaviors?

It’s pretty easy to see when someone is being unprofessional, especially when it’s rude, unsanitary or it compromises a client’s confidentially.

But what does it mean to be a professional? It’s a little harder to pin down exactly what it takes. Keep reading to learn all about the ATTITUDES and BEHAVIORS it takes to see yourself as a professional and to present yourself to the world as one too!

WHAT’S TRINA DOING WRONG?

Inside This Inservice:

A Summary of Professional As & Bs

2

Respecting Yourself 3

Professional Civility 4

Being Professional with Clients

5

Answering Call Bells 6

Accountability, Reliability & Integrity

7

Professional Confidentiality

8

Lifelong Learning 9

Final Tips 10

© 2015 In the Know, Inc. www.knowingmore.com

May be copied for use within each physical location that

purchases this inservice from In the Know. All other

copying or distribution is strictly prohibited.


© 2015 In the Know, Inc. Page 2

A research group recently surveyed nearly a thousand HR professionals and managers for a "Professionalism In The Workplace" study.

Those who took the survey said that the four signs of a professional are:

The ability to get along with others.

Attitude toward work.

Appearance.

Communication skills.

The most frequent unprofessional behaviors and attitudes the respondents encountered were listed as:

Poor time management.

Sense of entitlement.

Weak work ethic.

Poor attendance.

WHAT ARE THE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS OF PROFESSIONALS?

ATTITUDES BEHAVIORS

Respect for Self Always maintains a professional appearance

through appropriate clothing and grooming.

Respect for Co-Workers

Communicates courteously and respectfully with all co-workers.

Does not participate in gossip, incivility and bullying—and does not tolerate it in others.

Respect for Supervisors and Employer

Proposes solutions—not just complaints—to problems in the workplace.

Able to give and receive constructive criticism.

Respect for Clients and Their Families

Puts clients’ needs first while on the job.

Answers call bells and requests for help in a timely manner.

Uses respectful language when speaking to elderly clients.

Protects the client’s privacy.

Accountability Takes responsibility for own actions.

Reliability

Arrives on time and is ready to work.

Minimizes absenteeism.

Does not handle personal issues while at work (via cellphone, company phone, email, social media, etc.)

Integrity Behaviors are aligned with personal and

workplace’s core values.

Excellence Always strives to do the best possible job, regardless of the circumstances.

Team Player

Understands each team player’s role and maximizes the benefits of the team for the good of the client.

Seeks help and helps others when needed.

Anyone can go to school and get a job, but that doesn't make them a professional. Being a professional is more than just having an education, some experience and a regular paycheck. People are professionals—in any field—when they have the attitudes and behaviors described below. The pages that follow will describe these attitudes and behaviors in more detail.

PROFESSIONAL RESPECT THEMSELVES

Being a professional doesn’t have to be boring! Sure, you have a stressful job, but, there is no reason you can’t have fun too!

Using humor and laughing with your co-workers and supervisor can help you:

Decrease stress and tension.

Improve morale.

Build and develop good working relationships.

Build stronger teams.

Make your working life much more satisfying.

Of course there are some rules for keeping it professional:

Don’t let humor and joking around turn into goofing off that distracts you from your work.

Never tell inside jokes or funny stories about clients in front of other clients.

It takes as little as 20 seconds to form an impression about another person. With so little time, most first impressions are based on personal appearance. Whether it’s right or wrong to judge people by their looks, the fact remains—it’s what most people do. Think about it like this:

Would you trust a doctor to perform surgery on you if she showed up on the day of surgery dressed in sparkly leggings and a low cut tank top? What if she wore thick purple lipstick and long, dangling earrings? How would you feel if her long hair smelled like stale cigarettes as it dragged across your face when she leaned in to listen to your heart?

While the doctor in the example above may be good at her job, her lack of self-respect in her appearance does not give the impression that she can be trusted to do quality work.

As a CNA, it’s important that your appearance projects an image that assures and comforts your clients and their families. Here are the standards of professional appearance for all healthcare professionals:

Your uniform must be neat, clean, well fitting and free from wrinkles.

A name badge must be worn. Most healthcare employers and some state laws require name or photo ID to be worn at all times while on duty.

Shoes should be closed-toe and have low heels. They should be clean and in good repair.

Personal hygiene is critical. Body odors should be controlled by regular showering, not through the use of perfumes, scented lotions, aftershaves or colognes.

Never smoke cigarettes while wearing your uniform or during the course of the day while caring for clients. The chemicals and odor cling to your hair, skin and clothing and can make others sick.

Nails should be kept short and clean to avoid transmitting germs and injuring clients. Artificial nails are strictly prohibited. Both the CDC and the World Health Organization have policies in place that prohibit healthcare workers from wearing artificial nails while working with clients.

Hair should be kept clean and neat. Long hair should be pinned back to avoid contact with the patient, falling on a tray, getting tangled in equipment or blocking your vision.

Jewelry can transmit germs and cause injury to clients or yourself. Jewelry should be limited to a watch and one set of earring in the earlobes—ONLY.

Make-up should be minimal and natural looking.

Tattoos should be covered while on the job.



PROFESSIONAL CIVILITY

Working in the healthcare field can be rewarding—but stressful. Patients are sicker than ever; the hours are long and hard; and the rate of employee turnover is high. You and your supervisors may have to frequently work while short staffed, or rely on people who are untrained or under-trained.

These conditions can leave everyone feeling overwhelmed and powerless. When this happens, incivility often develops as a coping strategy.

What is incivility? In the workplace, incivility might look like:

Eye rolling, ignoring others, making sarcastic remarks.

Purposely excluding certain people from meetings, outings, etc.

Temper tantrums (yelling, stomping, slamming doors, etc.).

Habitually being late for work, appointments or meetings.

Gossiping, or talking negatively about others.

Interrupting others, arguing, the need to always be right.

Spending too much time on personal phone calls when clients need help.

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT? If you find yourself spreading gossip among your co-workers, follow one or more of these tips:

Ask a co-worker to give you a pinch every time you start gossiping.

Pretend that everything you say about someone else is being recorded for that person to hear.

Your co-workers may continue to gossip; that is out of your control. But you can make the personal decision to “just say no” to workplace gossip.

If you work with someone who repeatedly behaves in an uncivil way:

Don’t lose your cool. If both of you are upset, it will only make things worse!

Try to work it out! Ask her how she is doing and how she is feeling. If she seems stressed out about something, offer to help in any way you can.

Remain patient. It can be extremely hard to deal with an unprofessional co-worker. By responding in a friendly manner, the workplace (and your workday) will be much more peaceful.

If all else fails, report the behavior. People who behave badly at work usually do so because they’ve been allowed to. When the rest of the team is unwilling to take the steps needed to put an end to the behavior, the behavior becomes a habit. The good news is that habits are learned behaviors, and learned behaviors can change!

or directly from www.knowingmore.com

Complete Civility Training Program packages must be

purchased directly from www.knowingmore.com

Single books available at:

The POWER to create change!

If you are experiencing unprofessional behavior at your workplace, check out:

THE REAL HEALTHCARE REFORM: How Embracing Civility Can

Beat Back Burnout and Revive Your Healthcare Career!

Available for purchase as a single book or as part of a complete civility

training program.

READ A SAMPLE CHAPTER TODAY AT:

knowingmore.com/sample


BEING PROFESSIONAL WITH CLIENTS

The Clients’ Needs Always Come First You are important. Of course you are. But when you are on the clock, the only person who really matters is the CLIENT.

The client’s needs must always come before your own. In other words, your phone call can wait. Your need to discuss last night’s date with a co-worker can wait. Your snack can wait. And sitting down to rest can wait.

Take care of your personal business during your breaks. Make sure you go to the bathroom. Eat a healthy snack. Drink some water. Check your messages to make sure your child’s school didn’t call. Aside from going to the bathroom, none of these other personal tasks are appropriate to do while you are being paid to care for clients.

Use Appropriate Language on the Job Depending on your culture, your personality, and your need to fit in with a peer group, you may have adopted a certain style of speaking. That’s because people who identify with certain “groups,” tend to have speech patterns and word choices that reflect the strong influences of that group.

For example, surfers have slow speech with a nasally tone that often sounds like they have a bit of a Hawaiian accent—even if they are from Long Island, NY. They use words like “brah” or “dude.” The same holds true for people who identify with the hip-hip culture. They use words and phrases made popular by rap music, such as “aight” for alright, “axe” for ask, and “diss” for disrespect.

As a professional, it’s important to understand that the way you speak to your peer group MUST be different from the way you speak when you are on the job. It is never appropriate to use slang, profanity or peer-group accents when speaking to clients, co-workers and supervisors.

Here are a few more tips for communicating professionally with clients:

Focus on the human—not the task. Slow down and speak calmly and casually while you provide care.

Listen with sensitivity. Never interrupt, cut the person off or tune out what is being said—even if it sounds like gibberish or nonsense.

Be open to criticism. Accept criticism and complaints with grace. Avoid disagreeing, retaliating or withdrawing. Apologize and explain what you were thinking or experiencing if a misunderstanding occurs.

GET DISCONNECTED!

Did you know that it’s extremely unprofessional to use your cell phone to text, tweet, send email, surf the web or to make personal calls during work hours?

Not only is it rude and unprofessional, but it may also lead to a HIPAA violation—which could cost you your job. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Leave your cell phone in your car or your locker while you work. Never take it with you when you are performing client care.

Use your breaks to check messages and return calls.

Never tweet or update your FaceBook status with information about clients, their family members, your co-workers or even your employer.

Some workplaces ban personal phones all together. If your workplace does not already have a policy in place, enforce your own cell phone ban!


ANSWERING CALL BELLS

If you work in an acute or long term care facility, chances are good that you hear call bells in your sleep! Mostly, your clients call for help getting in and out of the bathroom. But they also call because they are in pain or having an emergency. Some calls are because they’re thirsty, they need to make a phone call, they can’t find their remote or because they are just plain bored!

And there are just as many excuses for ignoring a call bell. Many caregivers say the problem is short staffing. They can’t be everywhere at once. Some become annoyed with mundane requests and begin ignoring certain clients. Others ignore calls that they feel are not their responsibility.

Whatever the reason, no call bell should go unanswered.

Here’s a true story that was published in the New York Times a few years ago:

“Tom Kerr of Pittsburgh received a long-distance call from his elderly mother, who was in a hospital in the Cleveland area with a broken leg. She phoned her son, more than 100 miles away, because no one was answering her call button.

Mr. Kerr quickly called the hospital operator, tracked down the floor nurse and asked for someone to check on his mother. ‘She had to call me long distance, and then I had to call the hospital to get someone to answer her call,’ he recalls.”

Mr. Kerr’s mother was not seriously harmed in this situation, but many times, unanswered call bells lead to preventable falls, unnecessary pain, and sometimes even death.

So how do you answer all those calls and keep everyone safe and happy? Here’s what’s working in facilities across the country:

Call Bell Education for All Clients and Their Families. Upon admission (and when a reminder is needed) clients and their families should be taught how and for what reason to use the call bell. They should also be given a realistic idea of how long it may take for someone to answer the call. When clients understand that it may take five minutes for their calls to be answered, they can be taught to call in advance of having a toileting emergency that may lead to a fall.

Rounding Every Hour. Plenty of research now shows a decrease in call-light use and falls, as well as an increase in patient satisfaction when a specially trained nurse or nursing assistant is assigned to “round” on all patients, every hour.

During a rounding visit, the staff member introduces herself and lets the client know she is “rounding.” She then addresses the four P's: Pain, Positioning, Personal needs and Placement.

This is the client’s opportunity to mention any pain, request help with toileting and be re-positioned. The rounding staffer then addresses “placement” by making sure the call light, telephone, television, bed light, bedside table, tissue box, water, garbage can or any other possessions are within the client's reach.

Ideally, the rounding nurse or aide does not have a patient load of her own. He or she only performs rounds during the entire shift.

In most cases, the “rounding nurse” also has time to answer call lights, freeing other staff members to complete their regular assignments with fewer interruptions.

A Team Approach. The team approach to client care means that everyone is responsible for the care of all clients. If a call light is on, any staff member who is qualified should answer and assist the client. When tasks are shared, and a spirit of cooperation is maintained, both staff and clients benefit. The alternative "that's not my client" or "nursing assistants should answer the lights" mentalities are barriers to quality care and should be discouraged.

THERE ARE EVIDENCE BASED SOLUTIONS!

ACCOUNTABILITY, RELIABILITY, INTEGRITY

I attribute my success to this— I never gave or took any excuse.

~ Florence Nightingale

What is Accountability?

Accountability is about taking responsibility for your actions. In other words, YOU are responsible for all the things you say and do.

Being accountable means you don’t blame others for your mistakes. You may be tempted to point the finger elsewhere when you make a mistake. You may believe it gets you out of trouble or makes you look better, but it doesn’t. Even if someone else is to blame for your mistake, the blaming just shows that you allowed another person’s behavior to control your actions—and your actions are still YOUR responsibility!

When you do blame, do so constructively. There are times when people’s mistakes really do need to be brought to light. In these cases, make sure to highlight that the goal is to learn from mistakes, not to publicly humiliate those who make them.

Is Reliability Really Required?

Being reliable builds trust. Your clients, your co-workers and your supervisor all have to TRUST that you will do what you are supposed to do and be where you are supposed to be.

There are consequences when you are unreliable. When you show up late, someone else has to work until you arrive. Excessive call-outs lead to dangerous staffing ratios that cause poor quality of care.

What Does It Mean to Have Integrity?

Integrity can be a difficult concept to pin down. Most people think of it as honesty—or being able to tell the truth—but it's a little deeper than that.

Here's the best way to look at it: Integrity is when your values match your behaviors.

Here are a few examples:

If you value being reliable, you will keep your promises, and be on time, even if it takes extra effort.

If you value having personal and professional respect, you will save socializing, snacking, searching the Internet and personal phone calls for break time.

Have you ever been blamed for someone else’s mistake?

How did you handle the situation?

Have you ever blamed someone else for a mistake you made? Even if was really the other person’s fault, how could you have handled the situation differently by taking accountability?

Have you ever worked with someone who was unreliable?

What did this person do that made them unreliable?

What were the consequences of this unreliable behavior?

Do you know anyone who lacks integrity?

What behaviors make you question this person’s integrity?

How do you show that you have integrity?


PROFESSIONAL CONFIDENTIALITY


Maintaining your clients’ confidentiality involves keeping their medical records away from anyone who does not have the right to see them—and never discussing their diagnosis with someone who is not a part of their health care team. As a professional, you are trusted to guard your client’s personal and private health information. Here are a few examples of how unprofessional behaviors wreck a client’s right to confidentiality:

TALKING TO CO-WORKERS—During a lunch break with five other nursing assistants, Stephanie told a story about her client, Mr. Smith. Stephanie said Mr. Smith was so forgetful that he kept trying to leave his room wearing only his underwear and socks. The whole grouped laughed at Stephanie’s story.

Even if it seems like a harmless story, avoid discussing your clients with other employees—unless they are part of the client’s health care team. And then, do it in private, not at lunch. If Mr. Smith were your father, would you want a bunch of people laughing at him?

TALKING TO FRIENDS & FAMILY—Karen’s new client was a long-time friend of Karen’s family. After her shift, Karen told her mother about the friend’s condition and urged her to visit.

Even if you mean well, never discuss your clients with anyone outside of work, even your friends and family. They have no business knowing the names or condition of your clients.

UNSECURED ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS (EMR)—Bill works in a facility that uses computer charting. While charting at a mobile laptop station one day, Bill left to answer a call bell without closing the client's record and logging out of the system.

Always close the record and log off when you leave a computer, or anyone can walk up and read private information about your clients.

MEDICAL RECORD LEFT IN PUBLIC PLACE—Sasha works in home health. Before visiting a new client, she receives a report with all the client's information, including name, age, medical condition and care plan. Sasha makes a stop at a convenience store before going to the client's home and leaves the report in plain view on her passenger side seat.

Never leave charts or papers out in the open where others can see. In facilities, never leave the nurses station with a chart in your hand.

Working with clients in the home often requires coming up

with creative solutions to uncommon problems.

THE PROBLEM: You are caring for a woman who was just discharged home. During a visit with your new client a neighbor comes to visit.

The neighbor tells you she has a friend who gets home visits from your agency. After a few minutes you realize you know her friend. She begins to ask questions about the friend’s health.

WHAT YOU KNOW: You know HIPAA laws require you to protect confidentiality. But, you feel this friend is just genuinely concerned.

GET CREATIVE: Think of 3 creative replies you could use to (kindly) let this friend know that you are not at liberty to share any clients’ personal information.

TALK ABOUT IT: Ask your co-workers how they would solve this problem.

PROFESSIONALS ARE WILLING TO BE LIFELONG LEARNERS

Going to college for an expensive degree might be right for some people, but there are plenty of other ways to gain knowledge. And if you do have a degree, why stop there?

Lifelong learning is great “mental exercise”! It expands your viewpoint, keeps you young, and can even improve your paycheck. But you're busy! How can you possibly find time to learn something new?

Here are some tips to fit learning into your life and transform it into a lifelong habit:

Always Have a Book to Read. It may take you a week, a month or even a year to finish a book, but find one that interests you and take it with you wherever you go. That way you can read a few sentences or a few pages whenever you have time.

Make a Learning Bucket List. Along with your usual to-do list, make a list of all the things you'd like to learn in your lifetime. For example, maybe you want to learn a new skill or a new language. Or maybe you'd like to learn a new hobby, like photography or painting.

Surround Yourself with Other Lifelong Learners. Spend time with people who are motivated and determined to accomplish their goals. Ask them how they do it! Do what they do!

Teach What You Want to Know. The best way to learn something, is to learn it well enough to be able to teach it to others. Start a blog, mentor someone or even discuss ideas with a friend.

Do the “First Fifteen.” Use the first fifteen minutes of your day to learn something new. You can read your book or a newspaper, work on a project, complete an assignment for a class you’re taking, write your learning bucket list or anything else that interests you. The key here is to make it a “learning” time.

Do It Just for YOU! No one is going to show up at your door with an award and a bouquet of balloons because you learned something new. So the motivation has to be something you find within yourself. And it has to be something you do just for yourself.


1. Being a professional is more than just having an education, some experience and a regular paycheck. People are professionals—in any field—when they have the attitudes and behaviors of a professional.

2. As a CNA, it’s important that your appearance projects an image that assures and comforts your clients and their families.

3. Accountability is about taking responsibility for your actions—and avoiding blaming others for your mistakes

4. You are important. Of course you are. But when you are on the clock, the only person who really matters is the CLIENT.

5. Never stop learning! It’s the key to your future success as a professional!

Now that you‘ve read this inservice on Being a

Professional, jot down a couple of things

you learned that you didn’t know before.

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FINAL TIPS ON BEING A PROFESSIONAL


“Professionalism is NOT the job you DO, It's HOW you DO the job.”

~ Author Unknown

Take care of your appearance. It may seem shallow or petty to judge someone based on the way they look. But the way you present yourself to the world tells people how much you respect yourself. And when you respect yourself, you gain the respect and confidence of others.

Pull your own weight. Fulfill your assigned duties, but remain flexible, too! Due to the nature of healthcare, your assignment may change from week to week, from day to day or even from hour to hour. When someone asks you to help with a task that’s not one of your regular duties, try to avoid saying, “That’s not my job.”

You can’t always be right. But you can always do the right thing. If you approach your work with honesty and integrity—and do your best at all times—you will respect yourself for a job well done.

Hang up the phone. Do not use your cell phone to text, tweet, surf the web or call people during work hours. Focus on the present moment and keep the priority on your clients.

Be passionate about your work. By showing others that you love your work, you become a shining example for others to follow.

Keep on learning. Take every opportunity to learn new things. Observe the co-workers whom you admire the most and apply what you learn to your daily work. The more you know, the more valuable—and respected—you become to yourself, your co-workers and your workplace.

Are you “In the Know” about Attitudes & Behaviors of a Professional? Circle the best choice or fill in your answer. Then check your answers with your supervisor!

1. Which of the following is an attitude found in a professional? A. Self-respect. C. Integrity.

B. Accountability. D. All of these.

2. Most first impressions about you will be based on your A. Skills and abilities. C. Educational background.

B. Appearance. D. Work ethic.

3. Your co-worker calls out at least once a week. When she is at work, she complains about everyone and everything . You should:

A. Tell her to just shut up and get to work. B. Agree with all of her complaints, she clearly needs a friend. C. Find out if something’s bothering her that you can help with. D. Tell everyone who she’s complaining about so they can confront her.

4. The only personal task that is appropriate to do (and only if it can’t wait) while you are working is: A. Using the bathroom. C. Making a personal call. B. Eating a snack. D. Updating your FaceBook status.

5. True or False Integrity is when your values match your behaviors.

6. True or False It’s unprofessional to discuss your client with anyone, even the doctor or nurse.

7. True or False The only reason to learn something new is if it’s required for your job.

8. True or False It’s easier to spot unprofessional behaviors than it is to see professional behaviors.

9. True or False Being a professional is not important for CNAs because they don’t have college

degrees or years of professional education.

10. True or False Being reliable means your clients, co-workers and supervisors can trust you to do what you are supposed to do.

Inservice Credit:

Self Study 1 hour

Group Study 1 hour

File completed test in employee’s personnel file.

EMPLOYEE NAME (Please print):

________________________

DATE: __________________

I understand the information presented in this inservice.

I have completed this inservice and answered at least eight of the test questions correctly.

EMPLOYEE SIGNATURE:

________________________

SUPERVISOR SIGNATURE:

________________________


A Professional Growth Module: The As & Bs (Attitudes & Behaviors) of Being a Professional

OF BEING A PROFESSIONAL Work and... · The receptionist complained because Trina kept leaving open...

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