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Karen Hickman specializes in Etiquette and Protocol Consulting and is based out of Fort Wayne, IN | TEL: 260-486-7758

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You are here: Home / Archives for Professional Courtesy

Illness Etiquette in Cold and Flu Season

January 8, 2018 by procourtesy

Illness Etiquette

Well, we are into cold and flu season and being around people who are acutely ill increases ones chances of catching their bug. So, practicing some “illness etiquette” could be helpful for everyone.

First, if you are sick, stay home from work or school until you know you aren’t infectious anymore. And do limit your exposure to others, especially babies and anyone who may be immune compromised due to an illness or medical treatment, like chemo therapy.

If you have a sick family member and are planning on guests coming over, the gracious thing to do would be to inform your guests and give them the option of not coming. If necessary, reschedule the event. To not inform them until they arrive can make it seem like they were bushwhacked.

Avoid shaking hands with people if you are acutely ill. Just let them know you aren’t shaking their hand because you don’t want to expose them to your germs. They will be grateful.

Do cough or sneeze into your elbow instead of your hands. This helps reduce the germs being spread to everything you touch.

Wash your hands frequently and well, especially before touching food or anything else that may go into your mouth. Simple hand washing can do a lot in preventing the spread of germs. A good habit to get into is to wash your hands immediately upon coming home from work, school or any other place in public.

Have hand sanitizer on hand when you can’t get to a sink to wash. Keep some packets in your desk at work, in your car, purse or any other handy place. And sanitize commonly touched surfaces at work and at home. Don’t forget your computer keys and cell phone.

Dispose of your soiled tissues yourself. Don’t leave them on a table in a restaurant or any other place where someone else is responsible for disposing of them.

Filed Under: Illness etiquette Tagged With: cold & flu etiquette, etiquette expert, illness etiquette, Karen Hickman, Professional Courtesy, sick at work etiquette

Communicating with Patients as an Introvert

November 18, 2016 by procourtesy

group of professional medical team closeup

Communication with Patients as an Introvert

Physicians and nurses come in all personality types. Some are out going, funny, charming and gregarious. Others are quieter and more measured in communicating with their patients. There is the type that likes to offer hugs and are very comfortable patting hands and putting a hand on the shoulder, but that doesn’t mean the ones who don’t do that can’t connect effectively with their patients.

Physicians and nurses should be genuine in what ever their communication style is. Their genuineness will come through to their patients.

Some of the most important things to keep in mind and demonstrate with patients are:

Empathy. Empathy allows us to connect to the feelings of the patient and understand what they are going through. It helps patients feel like they matter and are respected and valued. We all have the ability to show empathy toward others. It’s the mirror neurons firing in our brains that allow us to connect on an emotional level.

Body Language. Non verbal communication is powerful. It has been said that 50 to 80 per cent of what we are communicating comes from our body language. So, how you position yourself when involved with the patient speaks volumes.
Upon entering the patients exam room offer a handshake, make good eye contact and sit down. When sitting you are perceived to spend more time with the patient than if standing. And it puts you at their level. It also sends the message that you have time to listen to them.

Balance. When looking at the computer screen and charting make sure you balance looking at the screen with making good eye contact with the patient. A good trick is to look at the patient when asking a question and return to the computer to enter the data.

Listening. Be a good listener. Allow patients to talk without interruption before responding. Pausing before responding lets the patient know you are processing what they have said. It also allows you to formulate your response more effectively.
Lean in when listening and acknowledge what is being said by nodding. Validate verbally what is being said with phrases like; “I understand what you are saying” or paraphrasing back to the patient what has been said.

A quiet, steady approach can achieve a high level of connection too. And do keep in mind that too much touching and patting may be perceived as patronizing. Some of your patients will be the quiet steady type too, and don’t feel the need for hugging and patting. Another important reason to being attentive to each patients needs.

Filed Under: medical manners Tagged With: communication styles, etiquette expert, introverts, Karen Hickman, medical etiquette, medical manners, Professional Courtesy

Essential Professional Dress in Healthcare

October 31, 2016 by procourtesy

Hospital Staff Standing Outside A Hospital
Essential Professional Dress in Healthcare
While visiting a family member in the hospital recently, I noticed the unkempt attire of one of the lab people coming in to draw blood. As she knelt down to better reach my family member’s arm I noticed her scrub pants were frayed and dirty from her walking on them. Shortly after I made note of this, one of her co-workers came in the room to see how she was doing and noted the same thing. However, she said something out loud about the fact that her scrub pants were too long and should be shortened so they weren’t dragging on the ground. The person with the dirty scrubs said, “she couldn’t be bothered with that, after all they are only work pants.” My immediate thought was, if she can’t be bothered with being well groomed what else can’t she be bothered with.”

A visible mark of distinction for your organization can be what your employees wear. If they are poorly dressed or poorly groomed the impression the public gets of your organization can be a negative one. Or like me, they wonder what else isn’t be attended to.

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 ideas of uniforms is to let the public know who you are, that you are at work, not at play, 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.
The need to move unencumbered in many situations presents some unique challenges. 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. Save nail art and dramatic nail color for social situations.
Hair kept short or up is suitable and more professional when caring for patients. Keep make-up subtle.
Fragrances should be kept to a minimum and if you smoke consider how you smell leaning over a sick patient.
Well fitting clothes are a benefit to everyone.
Clothes should be clean, well maintained, pressed and fit well. Make sure you can move easily without exposing bare skin
Invest in, and use a full length mirror before leaving the house.
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). Enforce identification with an introduction.
Wear clean, polished, professional shoes. No sandals. Keep work shoes separate from leisure and activity shoes.
Jewelry kept simple and to a minimum presents a more professional image.
Gum chewing is a solitary activity and should not be done in public.

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?

Remember, what Mark Twain said…

“Clothes make the man, naked people have little or no influence in the society.”

Filed Under: medical manners Tagged With: etiquette expert, Karen Hickman, medical manners, medical scrubs, Professional Courtesy, professional courtesy in healthcare, professional dress in healthcare

What Not To Say When Elderly Loved One Dies

October 28, 2016 by procourtesy

Cemetery Gravestones

What Not To Say When Elderly Loved Ones Die

My father died quietly at home, on June 1st, 2015, two months shy of turning 98 years old. He had had a good quality, long life up until the very end. And I knew how fortunate we were to have had him in our lives for that long of a time and to have him so well and vital. That isn’t always the way lives play out when one is close to being 100 years of age. He had all of his faculties, was mobile, in his own home, enjoyed his children, grand children and great grand children and even played cards with my mom before they went to bed the night before he died. The next day he closed his eyes and died.

After his death I was quite surprised at some of things people said to me in offering their sympathy. Some people just said they were sorry for my loss, but many said things that were disturbing to me, especially in reference to my dad’s age and the fact that he died quietly at home.

I don’t think anyone said things to intentionally hurt my feelings, I think many people just don’t know what to say. But, there was a lot of, “wow, what a way to go” and “we all should be so lucky to go that way.” And it started to dawn on me that things were said that probably wouldn’t have been said in reference to a younger person dying. While, young people dying can be an unexpected and untimely loss, losing an older loved one in your life doesn’t diminish the fact that there is now a hole in your life.
Many of the comments seemed to over look the fact that I had lost my dad and because of his age and circumstances of his death made me almost feel like I didn’t have any cause to be sad.

When we lose a loved one, especially a parent, regardless of there age and circumstances of their death, we lose a part of ourselves and we become the oldest generation in the family. That in itself can give you pause. We also lose the a person we used to go to with questions, ask advice, get details on family history and so much more. Once they are gone, it’s final, there is no going back for another conversation.

So, what should you say to someone who loses an elderly loved one? How about, “I am so sorry for your loss, I am sure you will miss them.” That statement honors the loss and grief that we all experience in losing a loved one regardless, of their age.

I am reminded of something my late father-in-law said when his 103 year old mother died when someone asked him how it felt to lose his mother who had lived so long. He said, “it’s the end of an era for this family”, with a tear in his eye. He too would miss her.

Filed Under: Grief etiquette Tagged With: extiquette expert, funeral etiquette, grief etiquette, Karen Hickman, losing a parent, Professional Courtesy

Humor Etiquette

October 24, 2016 by procourtesy

Humor Etiquette

Let’s talk humor etiquette.What is your style of humor? Are you one of those people who uses everyone else’s short comings (or perceived short comings) as the butt of your jokes?

The current political climate has caused a lot of bad humor in every direction. The charity dinner on Thursday evening with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in attendance wasn’t their best effort at making jokes. In fact, I think it would be hard to describe some of the remarks that both candidates threw out as humor. It was more like insults. A cheap version of humor, in my opinion.

What makes a good comic or humorist? That is very subjective. What one person finds funny might not strike another person as being funny at all. Think back to some of the people who have made you laugh the hardest over the years. For me, it would be the masters of self deprecating humor.

Humor is also about timing. And I believe it’s an art. Some people can deliver a line and have the whole room in stitches, but that line delivered by someone else may bomb.

If you are the person who uses everyone else as the butt of your jokes, you may find people running in the other direction when they see you. That kind of humor can be very hurtful. Humor should make other people laugh and feel good…not feel like they are getting “roasted.”

Filed Under: Humor etiquette Tagged With: Donald Trump, etiquette expert, Hillary Clinton, humor etiquette, Karen Hickman, political humor, Professional Courtesy

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Business Email Etiquette                                                                                      The number of emails we all receive every day can be overwhelming, but they are a fact of life. Keeping that in mind, try to observe some of the basic email etiquette rules for emailing within the business world. Your email message may … Read More

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