Professional Courtesy Archives - Page 10 of 10

Contemporary Medical Attire

May 27, 2012 by procourtesy

Healthcare is very competitive today. Distinguishing a large group or institution from all the other groups and hospitals can be a daily challenge. Some of the ways this can be done is by maintaining a professional, yet personal, approach in dealing with patients and the public at large. A visible mark of distinction can be what your employees wear.

What is the appropriate dress for the staff and physicians in offices and hospitals today?

This question is one that causes confusion in many work places, not just the medical arena. Staying current and up with the times in dress is important. The days of everyone being in white and nursing caps seems to be a thing of the past. However, problems can arise if guidelines are not specific. Dress codes left to individual interpretation can leave room for big surprises.

Uniforms of some sort give an air of professionalism and a sense of solidarity. Different departments often adopt a certain color unique to them and easily identifiable. For instance, pediatric situations may want to gear their uniforms to the children so they do not seem threatening. In certain departments, lab coats over street clothes offer protection and look professional. Scrubs are essential in many areas and reduce concern for getting clothes soiled. Shirts or coats with hospital and group logos offer another good choice.

One of the most important reasons for uniforms is to let the public know who you are, that you are at work, not at play, and that you are not some stranger off the street who comes into a patient room in the middle of the night. In short, you should look like what you do and who you are.

If anyone has to question what you do or if you are working, it may be time to evaluate what you are wearing.

Here are some basic tips for dressing today:

Establish well-defined dress codes and enforce them.
Be clean and well-groomed. Shorter fingernails are more professional and more hygienic. Avoid acrylic and artificial nails. Save nail art and dramatic nail color for social situations.
Hair kept short or up is suitable and more professional. It is also, more hygienic.
Keep make-up subtle.
Fragrances should be kept to a minimum and if you smoke consider how you smell leaning over a sick patient. Use breath mints and mouthwash. Consider not smoking in your uniform.
Well fitting clothes are a benefit to everyone, no matter their size.
Clothes should be clean, well maintained and pressed.
Panty hose should be worn with skirts, bare legs are unprofessional.
Invest in, and use a full length mirror before leaving the house.
Pants may not be flattering to all women. If that is the case, consider a uniform with a skirt.
Jackets and blazers add an air of authority and professionalism to men and women.
Identification badges should be visible at all times (first names only, may be necessary for security reasons) and should be worn on the right shoulder so they are easily seen. Add a verbal introduction, stating your name and position..
Save athletic shoes for athletics. Wear clean, polished, professional shoes. No sandals…closed toes and heels are best.
Jewelry kept simple and to a minimum presents a more professional image.
Gum chewing is not a part of any uniform.

Individuals in administrative positions or positions that do not require a uniform, including physicians, should use care to look professional and well-groomed. It is just as important as those requiring a uniform.

It has been said, that the way we are dressed can influence the way we work and how we are perceived. When the public looks at you and views your work environment, what do they see?

Compassion in Healthcare…Stepping Outside the Box

January 19, 2012 by procourtesy

Compassion in Healthcare…Stepping Outside the Box
Upon recently learning that one of my longtime Canadian friends had lost his mother, after a lengthy illness, he shared this lovely story with me…

“Let me take some time to tell a cute story about her and the nursing home. It just happens to be the same facility that my grandmother died in 1979. Mum used to say she talked to her mother today and I always said “who is to say she didn’t”. Anyway, you may recall my mother was the Head Nurse of the Emergency Department at our hospital here in our town. She was a strong woman who bordered on bossy, a good trait considering the job.

Within the first 3-4 weeks of being in the nursing facility, she heard a call over the loud-speaker that there would be a nurses meeting in the board room at 1 o’clock. Sure enough, when the nurses and the Director went to the room, there was my mum sitting there. Now this is where the story, as related to me by the Head Nurse who had trained under my mother, gets interesting. Everyone knew my mum’s background. Our town was a small town (10,000) back in the day and everyone knew everyone. Rather than confront my mother and ask why she was there or tell her to leave, they simply gave her a legal piece of paper and a pen and continued on with the meeting. Upon conclusion, the Director adjourned the meeting and my mum stood up, rapped the table with her hand and said she thought these meetings were a good idea and walked out.

As a nurse and a care giver I know you can relate to this story better than most. I told this during my mother’s funeral and must admit I got a little emotional doing so. I did write a note to the Director thanking her and her team for the compassion.”

As a former nurse and etiquette expert, who does a lot of training in the medical arena, this story points up the importance of being able to step outside of the box and adapt the rules to fit the situation in any arena, but especially in health care. The last word from my friend says it all…”compassion”. It is so key in being a care giver, regardless of your position on the team. That young Nursing Director may not realize the impact that her small gesture of respect toward her former teacher meant to the patient’s family, but it was powerful. Obviously, my friend’s mother was a wonderful teacher and care giver…that will live on in the nurses she trained and will become part of her legacy. RIP Anne.

*This story is shared with the permission of my friend.

Respectful Care

October 24, 2010 by procourtesy

In my last blog post I had a conversation with Robert Hickey, Deputy Director of the Protocol School of Washington; the school that trained me. In Robert’s book, “Honor and Respect, The Official Guide to Names, Titles, & Forms of Address” he discusses how to address people at every level; from the president of the U.S. to governors, religious figures, royals, business people and more.

One of my questions for Robert was how he felt about healthcare professionals addressing patients in a familiar manner or by their first names. Interestingly, he punted the question back to me since the healthcare arena is a special niche for me. And my answer to the question is to err on the side of formality until you are invited to call patients by their first names. It can be offensive to some people, especially “mature” people, to be called by their first names upon their initial visits to a physician’s office. It can be perceived as unprofessional. And very young nurses and physicians should be especially careful. While many patients will invite you to call them by their first names, particularly if they have long-established relationships with your practice, let them lead the way.

Establishing a policy or script for all staff people can be helpful in projecting a professional impression. Avoid calling patients by endearing terms, like “honey” or “sweetie.” These terms can sound patronizing.

New Medicine, Same Manners, part II

May 19, 2010 by procourtesy

When my late husband and I were first married we lived in an apartment for a short time. The fact that he was a physician seemed to get around the building fairly quickly and led to frequent medical-related questions from other residents. I was used to people asking for his advice, in and out of the office. It seemed to be part of the job and he was always very gracious in responding.

However, the day a neighbor, whom we had never met, presented herself at our door in her bathrobe to get a diagnosis for her rash I felt a line had been crossed. Imagine my surprise when she opened her robe exposing a naked body! Not a pretty picture.
What’s the morale of the story? Be careful not to take advantage of people and their expertise. There is a time and place to seek medical advice from any physician or health care professional. Certainly, family members and good friends in the field can be a great asset in navigating the complexities of health care today and most are eager to help. However, there are some rules to be considered in and out of the office:
• Don’t turn a social event into an ongoing office call. Just because someone is in the heath care field doesn’t mean they are dying to hear about all of your aches and pains
• If you have an office appointment for yourself don’t bring the whole family and expect them to be seen in your time slot
• If you want to add an additional person, call and see if the physician’s schedule can handle it
• Many practices limit the number of complaints that can be addressed at one appointment. If you have multiple issues you may need another appointment or two.
• Bring your medication list with you at every visit
• If medications and/or dosages have changed, be sure to ask if the new medicine is replacing one you have been taking. This helps avoid double dosing.
• Be sure to introduce any friend and/or family member who may go with you to an office visit. Let the doctor know their relationship to you.

A little courtesy and understanding on the patients’ side is important and will be greatly appreciated by the physician and staff. I know…I was once an office nurse.
Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences regarding this.

Essentials for Health Care

July 23, 2009 by procourtesy

Essentials in Healthcare
It is no doubt the technical training of a physician or dentist is of utmost importance in his or her practice. The expertise of a knowledgeable professional allows for trust and loyalty from patients. And yet, many patients don’t develop that trust and loyalty, no matter how skilled the medical and dental care, because of the unprofessional treatment they’ve encountered on the way to the examination room.

Too often, as practices continue to grow larger, compassion in medicine and dentistry is forfeited through lengthy holds when scheduling appointments, an unprofessional air in the office, impersonal first impressions, and overall insensitive actions from the office staff. And this has a measurable effect on patient relations: research show us that up to one-third of malpractice suits stem from bad behavior on the part of the doctor or staff.

As a former nurse and longtime member of the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Medical Society-Alliance, I understand health care. And as a trained expert in etiquette and protocol, I understand the importance of professional courtesy. Marrying my experiences in medicine and etiquette, I’m able to effectively address the growing perception of unprofessional medical and dental practices and then provide teams the tools they need to create a distinguished and caring practice.

Recently, I was able to partner with the Fort Wayne Medical Society-Alliance to provide the Fort Wayne Medical Society with what the Alliance titled “Compassion in Medicine,” a researched-based educational seminar and comprehensive training program. I had the opportunity to enlighten over 200 office staff, receptionists, administrators, nurses, clinicians, and office managers with my Professional Courtesy Essentials program. The staff members learned how to professionally apply communication skills, conflict management, technology etiquette, and the development of a positive cultural philosophy while participating in role-play scenarios to better understand and relate to the patients. Further, the Alliance used the seminar as a fundraiser and contributed $15,000 to community charities related to health care and health education.

The partnership between my Professional Courtesy Essentials program, the medical society, and the alliance created the opportunity to meet the goals of continuing education; excellence in health care; and care for patients, their families, and the community. I would be delighted to share this valuable and important message with you and your alliance and community, while educating and encouraging what I am sure is already excellent medical and dental care from your local medical or dental association. Please feel free to contact me for more information about the program and the opportunity to increase the professionalism in medicine and patient satisfaction.

Sincerely,

Karen Hickman

Contemporary Medical Attire

Compassion in Healthcare…Stepping Outside the Box

Respectful Care

New Medicine, Same Manners, part II

Essentials for Health Care

Company Profile

From the Blog

Contact Us