Hi, I'm Leslie Jones-Larsen, and today we're here to talk about professionalism. This is really what your physicians and providers, along with leadership and patients, are expecting from you in the workplace. It's a lot of basic information, but it's a good review as you are orienting maybe to a new job or a new organization. I spent over 20 years of my career hiring medical assistants, and these are some of the basics of what makes you a good one and what makes you lose your job. We're going to talk today about the definition of professionalism, what it means to have workplace success when you are professional, and really getting into the granular details of the do's and the do nots of what to do in the workplace. Professionalism is defined as the employer's value to the employee who carries out duties in a professional manner. It means really conducting yourself with responsibility, integrity, accountability, and excellence. It means that you're communicating effectively and appropriately and finding a way to be productive. It isn't just one thing, though. It's a combination of these qualities. Example examples can include being responsible. That could mean arriving on time for work or managing your time effectively. It could mean taking responsibility for your own behavior or working well with others. It could mean that you have high-quality work standards, honesty, and integrity, that you look clean and neat and dress appropriately for the job daily, and that you're communicating effectively and appropriately. These are all essential parts of what it means to be professional in the workplace. It can look like hard work, managing your time throughout the day. Did you show up on time? Did you go to break? Did you communicate your break to your coworkers? How are you finishing your work by the end of the day? It could mean that you speak clearly and politely. This might mean that you're addressing patients by their pronouns, maybe by their suffix of a Mr. or Mrs. It could mean that you are neat and clean in appearance on a daily basis. This could mean that your uniform or scrubs are clean, that your hair is combed, and that you're ready to work, that you're productive in your work time, and that you're striving for constant improvement throughout the day. Having success in the workplace really means that you should look past stereotyping. You should promote a workplace that celebrates diversity and inclusion. You shouldn't be discriminating against age, skin color, gender, disabilities, the way you speak, where you live, or even how much money you have. It also means that you just have a good attitude about the day and the people you're working with. You should honor your commitments. These attitudes can affect your job performance of yourself and others. You should understand your culture within the workplace. Again, your individual actions can really impact the work of others. And you should keep your personal matters to a minimum. Avoid those negative side effects of the office politics. If you have a good attitude and you're enjoying working with your team, you'll also enjoy problem solving and seeking to improve pieces of the puzzle. You'll want to use simple steps of defining the problem, identifying alternative solutions, evaluating those solutions, selecting a solution with your team, and implementing and monitoring progress to adjust any of the solutions you've come up with. This is really important for their patients and their families, and that's why we're all here giving the care we are. It's also really important to be an engaged learner. Are you invested enough in this job at being a professional to pay attention, to be attentive, proactive, eager, responsive, motivating, and inspired? Are you taking notes when there's a meeting at work or you're talking to a patient or your preceptor and you want to make sure you don't forget pieces of the puzzle? Are you actively listening? Are you using those direct eye contact? Are you really trying to establish that personalization, maybe with your co-workers or with the patients and their families, so that you really understand where that patient or family or co-worker is coming from? Are you asking relevant questions, using responsive body language? Are you participating and reacting? So it's really important at the end of the day that you know who your customers are, and it usually is everyone that you're interacting throughout the day with. This can be patients, families, providers, and of course your co-workers or teammates. And lastly, the do's and don'ts. Do know when you're on stage, when patients and families, your co-workers can see and hear you, and know when to be off stage. That might be when you're taking a break in the break room or you've gone off site for lunch. Be an engaged learner. Make sure you're listening. Dress the part and maintain hygiene. This really means you're wearing clean scrubs or clean uniform, depending on where you work, and that your hair is presentable to the patient population you're taking care of. Be respectful. Both verbal and nonverbal cues can let a patient, family, your co-workers, and providers know that you're with them and you're going towards the same goal. Be on time to work. Be on time back to work after break or lunch. Keep a good attitude. Be trustworthy. Want to solve those problems and be a team player. There's probably a ton of things that you shouldn't do as well, but these are some of the top ones. Don't call patients by their first name unless it's noted in their chart. Don't make fun of cultural differences. These are important aspects to have diversity inclusion in the workplace. Don't use your cell phone at work. It should stay in your pocket or your locker. Don't gossip. Again, that team environment is important. Don't hide from your mistakes, own that you made a mistake, and problem solve how to move forward. And lastly, do not talk about work on social media. Separate yourself, your work self, and your home self so you don't make these mistakes. Ultimately, you'll have a much more rewarding career using these key attributes of professionalism in your everyday life at work. If you have questions, make sure to ask your preceptor or you can contact the Academy at medaxium.com.

professionalism

workplace

responsibility

communication

teamwork