Professionalism
….in the workplace
Lisa M. Lackner, RN, MSN

Dawn of a New Era
Where do we start?

Where do we start?
What does professional mean?
• An occupation requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation
• Conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession

Professionalism is:
• TEAMWORK

Teamwork
• Teamwork is the single most important vital sign of the health of the organization or agency.
• Everyone’s participation and input is critical to successful resuscitation.
• A-Team approach

A-Team B Team
•
Proactive
• Confident
•
Positive
•
Competent
• Compassionate
•
Communicative
•
Team spirit
• Teachers
•
Trust
•
Does what it takes
• Sense of humor
•
Moves the meat
•Negative
•Reactive
•Confused
•Lazy
•Late
•Poor communications
•Constant complainer
•BMW club
•Can’t do
•Always surprised

You make the call
(Monday Night Football)

Professionalism is:
• Having an awareness of how your actions, body language, and words affect others

Professionalism is:
• Being fully accountable for one’s actions

Professionalism is:
• Utilizing kindness, compassion, intelligence, and direct communication to lead others

Professionalism is:
• Learning to master a mindful, calm response to an emergency

Professionalism is NOT:
• Allowing someone else to get bit, while you stand by.

Professionalism is NOT:
• Blaming others for your mistakes or poor response

Professionalism is NOT:
• Losing your composure in chaos
• “When things go wrong, don’t go with them.”
Unknown

Words to live by….
• “I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.”
Thomas Paine
• “In adversity, remember to keep an even mind.”
Horace
“Do not lose your inward peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”
Saint France de Sales

One of my favorites
• “Little things affect little minds.”
Benjamin Disraeli

And lastly,
• “Do not free a camel of the burden of his hump; you may be freeing him from being a camel.”
G.K. Chesterton

Although your job is not easy…

And your job is stressful…

And sometimes your job seems impossible…

It does not excuse you from being unprofessional.
• Don’t let reasons become excuses

Moral
• Many times we are all too focused on our own concerns, tasks and conveniences and lose sight of the primary reason we exist.
When faced with adversity it is often best to step back, assess what you can and cannot control, assess your resources, and through teamwork and positive attitudes take care of those endeavors and people we are entrusted with and are the primary reasons we exist.

“One cannot change anything unless we accept it.
Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.”
(Carl Jung)

Factors Professionals Must
Always Consider
• Teamwork
• Relentless pursuit of excellence
• Basic Business Facts
• Customer Service
• Unfailing Integrity

Why do we struggle with this???
• Attitude
• Ego
• Fear
• Seniority
• Confusion
• Poor impulse control

Fundamental Personality Rules
• You cannot control anyone except maybe…. Yourself.
• The most difficult people don’t realize that they are the terrorists.

“The strength of any structure is only as strong as the sum compilation of the individual components it is comprised of. It is the design, the mortar, and the precision of assembly that allows seemingly unimaginable fortitude.”