Personal Qualities of a Health Care Worker

A. Personal Characteristics
 Certain personal / professional characteristics and attitudes apply to all health
occupations.
 You should make every effort to develop these characteristics and attitudes and
incorporate them into your personality.
 Empathy
o To be able to identify with and understand another person’s feelings, situation
and motives.
o Must have a sincere interest in working with people.
o Must care about others and be able to communicate and work with them.
o Understanding needs and learning effective communications is one way to
develop empathy.
 Honesty
o Truthfulness and integrity
o Others must be able to trust you at all times.
o Must be willing to admit mistakes so they can be corrected.
 Dependability
o Must accept the responsibility that your position requires.
o Must be prompt in reporting to work and maintain good attendance record.
o Must perform assigned tasks on time and accurately.
 Willingness to learn
o Must be willing to learn and adapt to changes
o Changes occur because of research, new inventions and many other factors
o Changes can mean learning new techniques or procedures
o At times, additional education may be required to remain competent
 Patience
o Must be tolerant and understanding
o Must learn to control your temper and “count to ten”
o Learn to deal with frustration and overcome obstacles
 Acceptance of criticism
o Must be willing to accept criticism and learn from it
o Patients, employers, co-workers and others may criticize you
o Some criticism will be constructive and allow you to improve your work
 Enthusiasm
o Must enjoy work and display a positive attitude
o Enthusiasm is contagious
o Helps you do your best
o Encourages others to do the same
o Concentrate on positive points and negative points will not seem to be quite so
important
 Self-motivation
 o Ability to begin or to follow through with a task
o Should be able to determine things that need to be done and do them without
constant direction
 • Tact
o Ability to say or do the kindest or most fitting thing in a difficult situation
o All individuals have a right to their own feelings and these feelings should not be
judged as right or wrong
o Shows consideration of the feelings of others
o Requires constant practice
 Competence
o Qualified and capable of performing a task
o Follow instructions
o Use approved procedures
o Strive for accuracy in all you do
o Know your limits and ask for help or guidance if necessary
 Responsibility
o Being willing to be held accountable for your actions
o Others can rely on you and know you will meet your obligations
 Discretion
o In any health care career you have access to confidential information
o Information should not be told to anyone without proper authorization
o Patient is entitled to confidential care
o Be discrete and make sure patient’s rights are not violated
 Team player
o Learn to work well with others
o Each member of a health care team will have different responsibilities, but each
member must do his or her part to provide the patient with quality care
o By working together, a team can accomplish goals much faster than an
individual
 All characteristics and attitudes must be practiced and learned.
 Some take more time to develop than others
 Be aware of your characteristics and strive constantly to improve
 Will help you provide good patient care
 Will make you a more valuable asset to your employer and others
B. Personal Appearance
 Important to present an appearance that inspires confidence and a positive self-image
 Research has shown that within 20 seconds to 4 minutes people form an impression
about another person based mainly on appearance
 Rules for appearance vary
 Certain professional standards apply to most health careers and should be observed to
create a positive impression
  Good Health
o Health care involves promoting health and preventing disease
o Health care worker should present healthy appearance

o 5 Factors for good health

 Diet
 Rest
 Exercise
 Good posture
 Avoid use of tobacco and drugs
 Uniform
o Required in some health occupations
o Should be neat, well-fitting, clean and free from wrinkles
o Some agencies require white, some allow or require certain colors or patterns
o White or neutral undergarments should be worn under white uniforms
o Find out what type and color of uniform is required and then follow standards
established by your place of employment
 Clothing
o Regular clothing may be worn in place of uniform in some careers
o Must be clean, neat and in good repair
o Style should allow for freedom of body movement
o Should be appropriate for position – jeans may or may not be appropriate
o Washable fabrics usually best because frequent laundering is necessary
C. Personal Hygiene
 Health worker is in close contact with others
 Control body odor
o Daily bath or shower
o Use of deodorant and/or antiperspirant
o Good oral hygiene
o Clean undergarments
 Avoid strong odors that can be offensive
o Tobacco use
o Perfumes, scented hairsprays, aftershave lotions, etc.

Summary
 • Find out rules or standards established by your agency
 Abide by the rules
 Maintain a neat, clean, professional appearance

Teamwork
 In any health care career, you will be part of an interdisciplinary health care team
  Team concept was created to provide quality holistic health care for every patient
 Teamwork consists of many professionals, with different levels of education, ideas,
backgrounds, and interests, working together for the good of the patient
Teamwork Concepts
 Teamwork improves communication and continuity of care
 Every person on the team must understand the role of each team member
 A leader is an important part of any team
 Good interpersonal relationships are essential
 Legal responsibilities

Good Interpersonal Relationship Guidelines

 Poor relationships interfere with quality of care, goals, and work satisfaction
 Respect differences due to cultural and ethnic backgrounds, gender, age, socioeconomic status,
lifestyle preference, beliefs, and levels of education
 Show sensitivity to the hopes, feelings, and needs of team members
 Golden Rule: treat others as you would want to be treated
 Have a positive attitude
 Be willing to laugh at yourself
 Be friendly and cooperative
 Assist others
 Listen carefully
 Respect the opinion of others
 Be open-minded and willing to compromise
 Don’t criticize others
 Practice good communication skills
 Support and encourage team members
 Perform your duties to the best of your ability

Conflict Resolution
 Deal with conflict in a positive way
 Meet with people involved to discuss it
 Listen to each other’s point of view with respect
 Avoid accusations and hostility
 Solve problems cooperatively
 Sometimes a mediator may be needed
 Grievance policies define official process
 To meet team goals, conflict must be resolved

Summary
 Effective teams are the result of hard work, patience, commitment, and practice
 When each individual participates fully in the team and makes every effort to contribute to the
team, the team achieves success
Use Time Management to Meet Goals
 Analyze and prioritize
 Identify habits and preferences
 Schedule tasks
 Make a daily “to do” list
 Plan your work
 Avoid distractions
 Take credit for a job well done

Summary
 Time management provides for an organized and efficient use of time
 Won’t always succeed when unexpected events occur.
 If fail, reevaluate goals and revise the plan
 Patience, practice, and an honest effort are the best guides to a healthier, more content life