CorrectCare

Work Ethics: Where Do They Come From and Do You Possess Them?

by Susan Laffan, RN, CCHP-A, CCHP-RN

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that 80% of workers who lose their jobs do so not because of lack of occupational skills, but because of poor work ethics. Clearly, ethics is an important issue in the workplace.

Ethics are intrinsic, they come from within. It is very hard to teach someone else about ethics unless these values are demonstrated on a daily basis. Yet in the realm of work ethics, definitions and guidelines do exist.

For example, the International Council of Nurses calls for the nurse to promote an environment in which the human rights, values, customs and spiritual beliefs of the individual, family and community are respected.

Leaders in the business world have identified essential work ethics that should be practiced and enforced to achieve a viable and effective workplace. (And there’s no denying, health care is a business.) Griffin Technical College in Georgia offers a helpful list of 10 work ethic traits:

Appearance refers to appropriate dress, grooming, hygiene and etiquette. Organizational dress codes are developed to ensure that all employees understand the expectation of proper attire in that workplace. This may include the absence of artificial nails and excessive jewelry, and the wearing of approved uniforms, not T-shirts, sweater vests or low-cut shirts.

Attendance pertains not only to employees showing up for scheduled shifts, but also being punctual and ready to begin working when the shift begins. This trait also refers to completing all assigned tasks and duties on time within the shift. For nurses this can be hard to accomplish at times due to variable factors such as patient volume, acuity and unexpected events, yet we should strive to complete all assignments in a timely fashion.

Attitude is demonstrated both by a positive attitude and self-confidence. An employee’s attitude is projected to patients, families, visitors, peers and managers. Tone of voice and facial expressions can give others the impression that we have "an attitude" even when this is not what we mean to portray. A positive attitude is expected at all times. We must also have realistic expectations of ourselves and understand that setting unrealistic goals or expectations can result in a poor attitude.

Character involves displaying loyalty, honesty, dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and initiative. It also encompasses the ability to follow rules, policies and procedures. Even in this day and age of too many tasks and not enough staff, if you are working with those who possess these traits the job seems easier because you can rely on others. Patients must trust and rely on nurses to provide quality health care. Patients also depend on nurses to be loyal and honest in the delivery of services.

Communication includes appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication with coworkers and with patients. Communication can alleviate many confrontations or it can escalate a situation if not done appropriately. Communication in the workplace does not include using your cell phone or text messaging in patient care areas or at nursing stations. These actions can be perceived as "not caring" gestures by onlookers. Communication also refers to real-time charting. This is important so that other health care providers can provide continuity of care.

Cooperation is important as it fosters collaboration between employees and provides a sense of accomplishment of common goals. Cooperation with other departments is critical to keep an efficient flow of services.

Productivity requires active participation. All health care providers must work within their scope of practice, and nurses must not forget that patient care is ultimately their responsibility. If a task needs to be performed that is normally delegated to others, a nurse may step in to take care of it. If a problem is identified, it is better to troubleshoot solutions than to just complain about it. Productivity may also include obtaining required educational certifications, competencies and licenses within expiration deadlines, and seeking further educational experiences such as college courses, conferences or continuing education credits.

Organizational skills include prioritizing and managing tasks assigned within appropriate time frames. These skills also demonstrate flexibility in handling change, thereby reducing potential stress. This may be one of the hardest traits to grasp if one does not understand time management. Organizational skills may be the key to prevent a situation that feels overwhelming from becoming chaotic.

Respect includes appropriately dealing with cultural, social and racial diversity, and treating others as you would want to be treated. Respect also includes the areas of confidentially and harassment. The privacy of others is to be maintained, and gossip between employees is never appropriate. This often causes friction between employees, which may be perceived as a hostile work environment.

Teamwork is the coordinated effort of employees to produce a desired result, anticipated goal or common end. It involves being cooperative, being willing to help others and taking the initiative to do so.

From Principle to Practice
Each of these traits is important individually, yet they all intermingle to create a whole work ethic. The key to many of these traits is the sense of ownership we feel in our job or career. If we feel “connected” we are more likely to demonstrate these work ethic traits. In daily living we take care of our possessions, and so too should we take ownership in our job or career.

Nurses have additional guidance we can draw from. The American Nurses Association’s code of ethics for nurses includes nine general topics. These deal with compassion and respect; commitment to the patient; patient advocacy; accountability for individual nursing practice; responsibility toward oneself, the health care environment and employment conditions; advancement of the profession; collaboration with other health professionals; and articulating nursing values and maintaining the integrity of the profession.

As trained nurses, we know these principles, but do we put them into practice? It is common nature to want to do your best in everything you do. This is true in the workplace. You may not have a conscious thought of all the goals you set in any given situation, yet they are there. As nurses, we set goals continually. For example, we may aim to deliver medication on time, to alleviate a patient’s pain, to place an IV on a patient who has poor venous access and to provide all treatment ordered by the end of the shift.

These are laudable goals, but we need to also keep in mind the big picture as outlined by complete set of ethics traits for our profession. We should strive to bring out all of the positive traits we possess—and to develop those that are lacking—to strengthen our work ethics.

— About the author: Susan Laffan, RN, CCHP-A, CCHP-RN, works in a New Jersey hospital emergency department and is co-owner of a business that provides infection control programs to municipal employees. She also works per diem as a correctional staff nurse and performs chart reviews for lawyers involved in correctional health care cases. Laffan is chair of the Academy of Correctional Health Professionals board of directors.

[This article first appeared in the Summer 2010 issue of CorrectCare.]