Chapter Two: Your Work Ethic and Performance
Chapter Objectives Overview
- Define interdependence as it pertains to healthcare workers.
- Describe the necessity for healthcare workers to adopt a system perspective.
- Provide an example of how misuse of social media can lead to a HIPAA violation.
- Explain the importance of being fully present and mindful at work.
- Define critical thinking and list three actions critical thinkers take for sound decision-making.
- Enumerate five factors that demonstrate a strong work ethic.
- Detail the attitudinal differences between optimists and pessimists.
- Explain why healthcare workers must operate strictly within their state-defined legal scope of practice.
- Clarify the importance of adhering to federal, state, and local health laws and regulations in healthcare settings.
- Explain how HIPAA safeguards the confidentiality of medical information.
- Outline two key actions for representing your employer effectively.
- List three preparatory steps for a performance evaluation.
- Differentiate between objective and subjective evaluation criteria.
Commitment to Your Job: Foundational Principles
- Significance of Every Role: No task or position in healthcare is insignificant, and every worker holds an important role. Individuals working behind the scenes, though less known to patients, are crucial.
- Total Professionalism: Professionalism is absolutely vital for all healthcare workers, regardless of their role or patient contact.
- Job Performance: Excelling in your job requires genuine commitment and a professional approach to your daily tasks.
Interdependence and System Perspective
- The Big Picture: Healthcare professionals must comprehend the broader organizational landscape and understand precisely where their specific role fits within it.
- System Perspective Explained: This involves stepping back to observe the entire process of how a patient navigates through the healthcare organization. It necessitates understanding how your individual responsibilities integrate into and support this overarching process.
- Collaborative Environment: In healthcare, no one operates in isolation. All work functions are interconnected, meaning employees rely on each other to fulfill their duties.
- Definition of Interdependence: This refers to the mutual reliance among individuals to accomplish tasks. A breakdown in this reliance can halt the entire workflow.
- Reflecting on Your Role: Consider how your responsibilities link with those of others, which colleagues you depend on, and who depends on you. Patients are central to this interconnected system.
- Organizational Charts: These illustrations visually depict the components of a company, their interrelationships, and typically the hierarchical structure. Effective teamwork and mutual reliance across all departments and employees are essential for successful and high-quality work execution.
- Individual Impact: The performance of each individual directly affects the organization's overall success and functioning.
- Consequences of Impairment: Performing duties while impaired by alcohol, illegal drugs, or inappropriately used prescribed drugs significantly reduces functional ability, impacting job commitment and potentially leading to dismissal.
Self-Awareness: Being Present and Focused
- Mindfulness at Work: Cultivating self-awareness involves avoiding distractions and maintaining keen attention to your surroundings. Mindfulness means understanding your current location, actions, and the rationale behind them.
- Importance of Presence: It is critical to be fully present in the moment at work, actively filtering out distractions, especially those stemming from personal life. The ability to focus is paramount in healthcare.
- Avoiding Being a Distraction: One effective way to minimize workplace distractions is to ensure you are not the source of one. Your primary purpose at work is to perform your duties, not to advance personal agendas.
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
- Definition of Critical Thinking: This is a valuable skill that involves utilizing reasoning and evidence to formulate, analyze, or come to a decision.
- Characteristics of Critical Thinkers:
- They draw conclusions based on logical thought processes, employing reasoning and evidence.
- They approach situations from a rational and practical perspective, grounded in reason and logic.
- They ask fundamental questions to probe the core of an issue.
- They meticulously identify and analyze pertinent information and evidence.
- They distinguish clearly between facts, opinions, and personal emotions.
- They maintain an open mind and are willing to question assumptions.
- They exercise prudence when forming conclusions and test these conclusions against relevant standards.
- Critical Thinking in Problem Solving (Systematic Process):
- Avoid premature conclusions.
- Precisely identify and clarify the problem.
- Gather all available information.
- Thoroughly examine the collected evidence.
- Identify various potential options to resolve the problem.
- Determine the most effective option.
- Implement the chosen solution.
- Evaluate the outcomes of the solution.
- Mandatory Skill: Effective critical thinking and problem-solving abilities are essential for a well-managed personal and professional life.
- Employer Expectations: Healthcare employers seek individuals who are problem solvers, not those who merely complain about issues.
Developing a Strong Work Ethic
- Priority and Decisions: Success in healthcare hinges on prioritizing your job and making judicious decisions about your work approach.
- Employer's Preference: Employers actively seek job applicants demonstrating a strong work ethic because such employees typically:
- Remain focused and keep personal issues separate from the workplace.
- Diligently apply themselves to assigned tasks and complete work correctly the first time.
- Exhibit self-discipline and self-control.
- Understand and consistently meet management expectations.
- Are proactive and do not wait for instructions.
- Maintain a positive attitude and enthusiasm for their work.
- Demonstrating a Strong Work Ethic (Especially as a New Professional):
- Arrive prepared for your job.
- Work diligently to complete all assignments.
- Offer assistance to coworkers.
- Maintain a tidy and neat appearance and workspace.
- Be an effective communicator and a collaborative team member.
- Cultivate a positive and inquisitive mindset.
- Demonstrate reliability by following through on commitments.
Attendance and Punctuality
- Core Requirement: Fulfilling job duties requires consistent attendance daily and strict punctuality.
- Reliability: It is paramount to be present and on time when colleagues and patients are counting on you.
- Consequences: Poor attendance or punctuality can lead to performance issues, necessitating corrective action, and potentially result in dismissal.
- Ensuring Good Attendance and Punctuality:
- Commitment: Make a firm commitment to be in your work area and ready to begin precisely when your shift starts.
- Contingency Plans: Develop backup plans to address unforeseen circumstances that might hinder your ability to get to work or perform your duties.
- Health and Safety: Prioritize your well-being by eating nutritious meals, getting adequate sleep, and considering preventive measures like flu shots.
Accountability
- Accepting Responsibility: Accountable individuals accept ownership for the repercussions of their actions.
- Obligation/Duty: Accountability denotes an obligation or sense of duty that compels someone to act in a specific manner.
- Follow-Through: It is imperative to follow through on all work assignments for which you are qualified and prepared.
- Insubordination: Refusal to perform an assigned task or adhere to established rules can be deemed insubordination, leading to potential dismissal.
- Professional Boundaries: Avoid passing judgment or projecting your personal beliefs onto others.
Attitude: Optimism vs. Pessimism
- Pessimist: Characterized by viewing situations negatively (seeing the glass as half-empty). They frequently complain, are rarely satisfied, and tend to spread negativity, which undermines morale, teamwork, and cooperation.
- Optimist: Marked by seeing the bright side of things (seeing the glass as half-full). They generally exhibit a positive attitude, often smile, and project a friendly and cooperative demeanor.
- Attitudinal Challenges in Healthcare: Long-term healthcare workers may experience diminishing attitudes if they perceive a loss of value. Newer professionals might also face similar challenges.
- Reality: No job or workplace is ever perfect; it is human nature for people to find reasons to complain.
- Career Advancement: To excel and advance in a healthcare career, a consistently positive attitude is essential.
- Impact of Attitude: Your attitude significantly affects both the completion and the quality of your work.
Competence and Quality of Work
- Critical Importance: The quality of your work is extremely important in healthcare.
- Ensuring Competence: It is crucial to be thoroughly trained and competent in performing every aspect of your job. Never attempt to