Professionalism incorporates not only specialized knowledge and skills, but also the attitude with which the person approaches their work and the people they interact with. How you dress, carrying yourself with confidence, and most importantly how you communicate all reflect on you as a professional. Wearing clean, unwrinkled clothing that is smoke and odor free, and is appropriate for the work being performed all contribute to a professional appearance.

The positive or negative energy, body language, and words or phrases we use can affect how others feel and what they think of us as individuals, how they see our employer, and our workplace culture. Consider these two scenarios: A person comes into the workplace 10 minutes late for their shift, talking on their phone, using swear words, being loud and complaining, making others around them feel tense and uncomfortable. Once the phone call ends the person says to their co-worker “I am afraid it is going to be an awful day, I can just tell!” Notice the tone this person is setting for the day. By contrast, a positive version is the worker who concludes personal business before walking in the door, arrives early enough to be ready to start work on time, smiles, greets co-workers, and says “Ok team, let’s make this a great day.” This person is thoughtful and considerate about others around them and the impact of their words and energy. Being kind is so important in the healthcare field.

The idea of one’s attitude about work also applies to having a “can-do”, problem solving approach when it comes to handling change and challenges in the workplace. No job is perfect, and when dealing with people and their fears, anxieties and other emotions, things don’t always go smoothly. Healthcare organizations have many regulations they must follow as well as laws. Sometimes work policies may seem inefficient or to not make sense. It is human nature to discuss our complaints with others.

The professional approach is rather than simply complaining about people or issues, seek to understand what is motivating certain behaviors, investigate the reasons why a policy is in place, and consider how things could be improved. In a department meeting, bring up concerns to leadership, offer suggestions for improvement and survey co-workers for their ideas. This is an example of not being part of the problem, being solution oriented instead. This will reflect well on you when your work performance is reviewed and is an element of being a leader. Even if you do not lead others in your role, you are the leader of your own work and practices. How would others describe your work and your actions as part of a team effort? Do you work well in a team, being collaborative and helpful?

Open mindedness to learning from others and understanding the reasons or rationale why one thing is prioritized over another is very important. Typically the education program a healthcare worker participates in provides a foundation, but things like time management and prioritization are best learned in real life, on the job. Appreciate the knowledge that people with more experience have to share with you.

Attributions

1. Figure 11.2: image released under the Pexels License