GW Chapter 18 Employability Skills

Professionalism

the conduct or attitude that is required to be the best employee that you can be; the act of contributing positively to an organization

Soft skills

personal characteristics that enable a person to have pleasant, effective interactions with others.

patience

a skill that will help you interact calmly with coworkers and patients.

tact

the ability to avoid giving offense through your words and actions.

enthusiasm

an excited and positive attitude that you can bring to your work

flexibility

the ability to change or adjust your attitude and behavior to meet particular needs

compassion

deep awareness and concern for the suffering go others coupled with the desire to relive this suffering

empathy

the act of identifying with and understanding another person's feelings or situation

conflict resolution

the process of alleviating or eliminating sources of discord or tension between individuals

compromise

the settlement of differences in which each side makes concessions

multitasking

performing several jobs at once

prioritizing

the act of making decisions about the best order In which to perform multiple tasks so the most important tasks are completed first.

integrity

the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles

competence

the ability to do your job well

punctuality

the ability to be on time for commitments

chain of command

term that describes the levels of authority in an organization from the bottom to the top.

career portfolio

an accumulation of documents and work related to a person's career planning and preparation

letter of introduction

a letter written by you to illustrate your personality, passions, and goals for your career.

resume

doc that summarizes your education, work experiences, and other qualifications for employment; can be printed or submitted electronically.

cover letter

a letter that accompanies a resume to provide additional info about the applicant's skills and experience; usually focuses on the applicant's qualifications for a particular job; also called cover message.

networking

the process of developing contacts and relationships with people who are interested in your future employment

ethics committee

a committee made up of individuals who consider ethical problems in the healthcare facility and recommend solutions for resolving the issues

medical ethics

standards concerned with whether a healthcare worker's actions are right or wrong

medical law

standards concerned with whether a healthcare worker's actions are legal or illegal

values

the concepts, ideas, and beliefs that are important and meaningful to a person.

civil law or tort law

directives that pertain to disputes between individuals, organizations, or a combination of the two in which monetary compensation is awarded; also know as tort law

criminal law

directives that pertain to a crime in which the guilty party is punished by incarceration and possible fines.

invasion of privacy

Intrusion on another's personal life; applies to personal information as well as a person's body

Patients' Bill of Rights

summary of a patient's rights regarding fair treatment and appropriate information

ombudsman

a member of the healthcare team who ensures that patients are no abused and that their legal rights are protected; investigates complaints and advocates for patient rights

Patient Self-Determinnation Act

a law passes by the US congress in 1990 that requires most healthcare institutions to inform a patient about his or her rights at the time of admission

advance directive (AD)

legal doc in which a patient gives written instructions about healthcare issues in the event the patient becomes unable to make such decisions in the future.

do not resuscitate (DNR) doc

legal doc made by a patient, which states that CPR or other advance cardiac life support should not be performed

durable power of attorney

legal document that grants another person the authority to make legal decisions for you

guardian

a court-appointed person who may make decisions for a patient who is mentally or physically incapable of making such decisions

emancipated minor

person under 18 years of age who has legally established that he or she does not live with parents

duty of care

legal obligation for healthcare personnel to take reasonable care to avoid causing harm to a patient

negligence

performing an act that a reasonable person would not have done, or not doing something that a reasonable person would have done in the same or similar circumstance, resulting in harm to a patient

reasonable care

legal protection for the healthcare workers of proven that the worker acted reasonable as compared to other members of the profession in a same or similar situation

arbitration

a cost effective alternative to litigation

defamation

damaging someones's good name or reputation

slander

saying something that damages someone's good name or reputation

libel

damaging someone's good name or reputation in writing

standard of care

Reasonable and prudent care that a practitioner of similar qualifications would have performed in the same or similar situation

statute of limitations

the amount of time during which any legal action may be taken

scope of practice

tasks that an employee is legally allowed to perform based on his or her training and certification

Health Insurance Portability and accountability act (HIPAA)

a privacy provision for patient health records