Professionalism in health care is essential and will lead to patients trusting your ability as a caregiver. The Royal College of Physicians describes three key components of professionalism in health care: values, behaviors, and relationships. These three components affect the trust patients have in their providers.
Demonstrating professionalism in health care is crucial throughout all health care professions. Here are three ways to practice professionalism in health care to build trusting relationships with your patients and colleagues.
Be Aware of Your Attitude
Whether you’re having a fantastic day at work or a rough one, your attitude is something you can control, regardless of your circumstances. Moods can be contagious. So, if you’re having a great day, use your positivity to build someone else up. And, if you’re having a tough day, check yourself and take a quick break to adjust your mood. This can be as simple as stepping away to use the restroom and practicing breathwork for a minute or taking a 15-minute walk outside on your meal break.
Allow Room for Growth
Do you remember that feeling when you graduated and landed your first job? Most new grads have nerves when starting out because they know that there’s still a lot to learn. However, even if you’re a seasoned pro, it’s essential to recognize there’s always room for building knowledge and new skills.
As you progress in your career, this could look like taking a certification exam, considering a leadership role in your field, or serving as a mentor or preceptor for new grads. It could also mean going back to school and taking a big leap. For example, if you’re a social worker and choose to go back to school for a master’s degree in social work.
The most important thing is to remember that health care is constantly evolving, and numerous ways exist to boost your skills and knowledge.
Embrace Change
There’s one constant to working in health care: it’s continually changing. Whether a health care system is switching to a new electronic health record system or treatment guidelines for a condition have been updated, change is inevitable. Being professional in health care means embracing the change and keeping a positive attitude about it, even if you don’t at first care for the changes.
And, if the change you’re looking for is a part-time job on the side or an entirely new position altogether, consider contract staffing with Arbor Associates. We are leaders in behavioral health care and education staffing in Southern New England. Check out our open positions to start your new journey today!
