Professionalism

My Mum laughed when I told her I was giving a talk on professionalism. I was appropriately offended, but I can see where she is coming from.... Quite often people presume I study art, or drama, and I have heard, "Oh, medicine, so you're smart?", too many times to funny any more. Yes, I have 9 piercings, 6 tattoos, and the wardrobe of a "slut" or 12 year old boy, depending on my mood, but that does not lessen my ability to study medicine..... grrr

Saying that, I always turn up for placement, and a Mid-West old money grandmother (Dad's side) instilled a great appreciation of traditional manners and proper etiquette. (just trust me on this one, I know it seems unlikely). I can speak so proper when I want to, that my boss at M&Co didn't believe it was me when she overheard me on the phone to a customer.... I love smashing stereotypes

Here's some notes that I prepared for the students though, and I hope it covered all bases for them...

• Suitable clothing

You may be asked to scrub up for some of your sessions, which is really fun and exciting, I still get excited about it, but you still have to dress smart for the placement. It is all about first impressions, and you really want the team you will be working with how much this opportunity means to you. It’s kind of a respect thing.

The first priority is hygiene in a hospital, which is why there are certain rules that have to be followed. These include;

• Bare below the elbow - no watches, rings, bracelets, or long sleeves/ jackets
• for the guys, no ties, and or scarves/long dangly necklaces  
• for those with long hair, tie it back please.
• closed toed, flat shoes, that are comfortable enough for you to be on your feet for a long time

These rules are just here to prevent infections on the ward, also a health and safety thing, like if you were performing an experiment in science at school  

You will want to look smart, so for guys, a shirt (with the sleeves rolled up) and trousers (NEVER JEANS EVER! BOTH GENDERS). And for the girls, a nice blouse with trousers or a knee length-ish skirt, or nice (again) knee length-ish dress.

Hair looking nice and brushed, and pulled back if long. And minimal makeup, simple and fresh looking.

• How to conduct yourself professionally,

With placements, you are there to observe, so it important to not get in the way of the doctors, or their communication with the patient. This means being respectful of consultations, and only speaking/getting involved when the doctor invites you to do so. It is a little bit of common sense, and you definitely get a feel for when is, and isn’t appropriate to contribute within a placement.

Also, confidentiality is crucial. You are in a place of privilege, and may hear some sensitive information. It is your responsibility to keep this information confidential, to protect the doctor/patient relationship. Not to say you can’t discuss amongst yourselves regarding the things you see, or with a member of the health-team if something upset you, but it is important that names or other defining features of the patient are not mentioned.

Also, just general manners, hopefully these people may be your colleagues in years to come, so try to make a good impression. Listen when they give you instructions, and follow what they tell you to do. They have given up their time to help you, so please respect that

  

• How to get the most out of the placement

Be observant of all the things happening around the ward. You may be shadowing the consultant or doctor, but the rest of the health care team plays an important role in the workings of the ward. This includes the nursing staff, health care assistants, physios, and any other health care workers. The whole team make the ward, and understanding medicine as a multi-disciplinary unit shows a real understanding of the workings of a ward.

Ask questions, lots. There will be times when things are quiet, and you can ask the consultant things about the ward or their experience of being a doctor. Maybe you had seen a procedure, and wondered what was the follow-up to such a procedure, or other treatments that may be tried if said procedure didn’t have the desired effect, etc .

Following your placements, take 5 to 10 minutes to jot down some of the key events you witnessed, and really dissect them. Try to reflect on how the events affected the staff, the patient, and yourself. Try to work in the groups you do the placements with, and compare experiences. One person's perspective on an event may be very different to yours, and be invaluable when it comes to understanding the event and people’s reactions.