Professionalism in Healthcare

A loud, complaining patient asks the dental assistant, “Am I being a baby?” The assistant replies “Oh no. Some people have very sensitive teeth.” This response is an example of:

• Competence

• Enthusiasm

• Patience

• Tact

Barbara is a medical assistant who is always doing little things to keep all areas of the medical practice neat and clean. What personal trait does her behavior represent?

• Patience

• Willingness to learn

• Enthusiasm

• Self-motivation

A nursing home hires a nursing assistant whose previous employer describes as “very competent.” You would expect the new assistant to be:

• Highly skilled
• On time to work
• Helpful to other assistants
• The first to get her work done

An interviewer says, “Give us an example of your dependability.” A good response would be:

• “I am never late or absent from school.”
• “I am willing to listen to suggestions to improve my work.”
• “I never talk about my patients outside the hospital.”
• “I work well with other people.”

When dressed in a white clinical uniform, it is acceptable to wear:

• Blue and gray running shoes

• Open-toed shoes

• Red underwear

• White socks and shoes

Most healthcare agencies allow uniformed healthcare professionals to wear:

• A watch
• Eyebrow piercing
• One bracelet
• Three rings

What policy do MANY healthcare facilities practice in regards to healthcare workers with tattoos?

• Healthcare facilities do not hire workers with tattoos

• Tattoo policies are a personal right and are not regulated

• They require that tattoos be covered during work hours

• They require that workers have their tattoos removed

A female health professional is scheduled to work from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday. She clocks in at 7:59 a.m. on Monday and then goes to the ladies room to put on makeup, take out her nose piercing jewelry, and brush her teeth. What employability rule is she violating?

• Be prepared to work when you arrive at work
• Maintain a professional appearance
• Report to work on time
• Report to work when scheduled

The health professional is a nursing assistant with no medication training. The medication nurse has dissolved a medication in the patient’s applesauce, and asks the health professional to feed it to the patient. How should they respond?

• “I’ll be happy to help if you will show me how to do it.”

• “I’m sorry but I am not permitted to give medications.”

• “First, I need to check with the charge nurse.”

• “It would be my pleasure to assist you.”

The health professional is a Physical Therapist. They go to a patient’s room to walk the patient, and is told by the charge nurse that the patient has a headache and just took two Tylenol. What should the health professional do?

• Cancel the patient’s physical therapy treatment for the day

• Report this problem to the patient’s physician

• Wait one hour to see if the patient feels better, and then walk the patient

• Walk the patient now as scheduled