11 Some Thoughts on Professionalism Cynthia Cooper Sincerity is the most important thing… learn to fake that, and you’ve got it made. —From The Human Stain, by Philip Roth, New York, 2000, Vintage International. What Is Professionalism? Professionalism is a combination of maturity and effectiveness. In the workplace, professional behavior is demonstrated by being the best you can be and doing the best you can, even if you are not in the mood to do so. Professionalism has been described as being a “class act” with emotionality being replaced by focus and responsibility. Instead of making decisions based on emotion, the professional relies on intellect and experience. Although professionalism implies treating others with respect, it does not imply elimination of empathy. While behaving professionally, we should still wonder what it is like to be in the client’s shoes. In other words, we should try to understand our clients’ subjective experiences. Why Is Professionalism Important in Hand Therapy? Lack of professionalism contributes to low morale, which reduces job satisfaction and also negatively affects our clients’ experiences. Professional behaviors foster team work, which is advantageous for meeting clients’ needs. Opportunities for advancement and success are associated with being perceived as a professional. Additional benefits of professional behavior include receiving the trust of clients and the admiration of colleagues and coworkers. Communication Skills Related to Professionalism Professionalism is exemplified by polite and respectful styles of communication, efficient use of time, punctuality, and integrity. These behaviors help convey the message that the client comes first. Minimizing interruptions, answering questions, smiling, having a friendly or open facial expression, and providing eye contact are examples of effective communication. Projecting a sense of confidence and staying calm during difficult situations are additional examples of professionalism. Examples of Non-Professional Behavior Example One AA is an attractive female hand therapist who is single. She would like to meet a doctor at work. She wears low-cut tops and skimpy clothes to work, eliciting the attention of male clients and physicians. She has conversations in front of clients about her dates from previous nights. She is asked by doctors in front of clients if she would like to be fixed up with their single friends. Questions: How does AA’s behavior affect the professionalism of the clinic? What can be done to help correct this situation? Example Two BB is a hand therapist who feels she has excellent orthotic fabrication skills. When a coworker’s client returns to clinic after not showing for appointments for 3 weeks, BB assesses the client’s orthosis and notices that it no longer fits well due to clinical changes in the client’s forearm and hand over the 3-week absence. BB states to the client, “This orthosis was made poorly and does not fit well. In fact, it is causing damage to your tissues. I will fix it for you and will make sure the other therapist is informed of the poor quality of her orthosis.” Question: How could she have worded this more professionally? Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Related Related posts: Roles of Therapy Assistants in Hand Therapy How Hand Therapists’ Words Affect the Therapeutic Relationship Edema Reduction Techniques: A Biologic Rationale for Selection Burns Flexor Tendon Injury Peripheral Nerve Problems Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel Join Tags: Fundamentals of Hand Therapy Clinical Reasoning and Treatment Gu Sep 9, 2016 | Posted by admin in MANUAL THERAPIST | Comments Off on Some Thoughts on Professionalism Full access? Get Clinical Tree
11 Some Thoughts on Professionalism Cynthia Cooper Sincerity is the most important thing… learn to fake that, and you’ve got it made. —From The Human Stain, by Philip Roth, New York, 2000, Vintage International. What Is Professionalism? Professionalism is a combination of maturity and effectiveness. In the workplace, professional behavior is demonstrated by being the best you can be and doing the best you can, even if you are not in the mood to do so. Professionalism has been described as being a “class act” with emotionality being replaced by focus and responsibility. Instead of making decisions based on emotion, the professional relies on intellect and experience. Although professionalism implies treating others with respect, it does not imply elimination of empathy. While behaving professionally, we should still wonder what it is like to be in the client’s shoes. In other words, we should try to understand our clients’ subjective experiences. Why Is Professionalism Important in Hand Therapy? Lack of professionalism contributes to low morale, which reduces job satisfaction and also negatively affects our clients’ experiences. Professional behaviors foster team work, which is advantageous for meeting clients’ needs. Opportunities for advancement and success are associated with being perceived as a professional. Additional benefits of professional behavior include receiving the trust of clients and the admiration of colleagues and coworkers. Communication Skills Related to Professionalism Professionalism is exemplified by polite and respectful styles of communication, efficient use of time, punctuality, and integrity. These behaviors help convey the message that the client comes first. Minimizing interruptions, answering questions, smiling, having a friendly or open facial expression, and providing eye contact are examples of effective communication. Projecting a sense of confidence and staying calm during difficult situations are additional examples of professionalism. Examples of Non-Professional Behavior Example One AA is an attractive female hand therapist who is single. She would like to meet a doctor at work. She wears low-cut tops and skimpy clothes to work, eliciting the attention of male clients and physicians. She has conversations in front of clients about her dates from previous nights. She is asked by doctors in front of clients if she would like to be fixed up with their single friends. Questions: How does AA’s behavior affect the professionalism of the clinic? What can be done to help correct this situation? Example Two BB is a hand therapist who feels she has excellent orthotic fabrication skills. When a coworker’s client returns to clinic after not showing for appointments for 3 weeks, BB assesses the client’s orthosis and notices that it no longer fits well due to clinical changes in the client’s forearm and hand over the 3-week absence. BB states to the client, “This orthosis was made poorly and does not fit well. In fact, it is causing damage to your tissues. I will fix it for you and will make sure the other therapist is informed of the poor quality of her orthosis.” Question: How could she have worded this more professionally? Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Related Related posts: Roles of Therapy Assistants in Hand Therapy How Hand Therapists’ Words Affect the Therapeutic Relationship Edema Reduction Techniques: A Biologic Rationale for Selection Burns Flexor Tendon Injury Peripheral Nerve Problems Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel Join Tags: Fundamentals of Hand Therapy Clinical Reasoning and Treatment Gu Sep 9, 2016 | Posted by admin in MANUAL THERAPIST | Comments Off on Some Thoughts on Professionalism Full access? Get Clinical Tree
