Using paid work time appropriately is part of the professional trait of accountability, reflects the ethical value of doing what is right, and reflects wanting to meet or exceed expectations. A lot of trust is placed in healthcare workers to keep confidential information secure, compassionately care for people at their most vulnerable, and provide the best quality of care possible. Using supplies appropriately, not taking things home that were purchased by the organization, and not wasting time or materials is also part of accountability. Managing your time wisely and efficiently to meet deadlines or patient needs is a crucial element of accountability. How do you feel when you notice a colleague spending 20 minutes on social media or a long time chatting with a co-worker when not on a break? Do you wish they would check in to see if others need help instead?

Alerting the appropriate people when something is not right such as water on the floor, mistakes with patient information, medication given to the wrong patient, and other problems is a crucial behavior. These things need to be reported and corrected swiftly to keep the people we serve safe. Another part of accountability is considering how your role fits into the big picture in the function of the organization. Know how what you contribute feeds into the next phase of care or the overall workflow. Can you describe what your part is to someone else?