1. Professionalism

2. Lesson Introduction
Professionalism is about more than your job title or your salary; it is about more than your benefits or your advancement potential. Professionalism is a state of mind and a state of behavior. Thinking of yourself as a professional, dressing as a professional, and, most importantly, behaving as a professional are invaluable ingredients for a successful career.

3. Lesson Objectives Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
Define professional characteristics.
Explain the importance of professional appearance.
Explain the importance of professional behavior.
Please read Chapter 4, pages 43-51, of Kinn's The Administrative Medical Assistant, 7th edition.

4. Professional Characteristics of a Medical Assistant
What makes someone a professional? Dependability, loyalty, integrity, confidence, and discretion are among the characteristics of a professional. These are all traits that are essential to the medical professional.
Working in the medical field involves a lot of contact with the public. Medical assistants generally come into contact with patients when those patients are vulnerable. Patients are often sick or hurt. Because of this vulnerability, it is vital that the medical assistant help the patient become as comfortable as possible.
As a professional medical assistant, you can help to put the patient at ease by being honest, dependable, confident, and discrete. If patients know that you will keep their information confidential, they will be more honest, which can be vital to the health care you are providing. If patients can tell that you are confident and dependable, they will feel more comfortable allowing you to treat them.
The more you exhibit the characteristics of a professional, the more the physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants will come to know that you are someone on whom they can rely. The more they rely on you, the more responsibility you will gain and the better career you will have.

5. Professionalism
Now that you know some of the characteristics that will help you to be a successful professional, you may be wondering how you will show the physician, your other coworkers, and your patients that you are a professional. It is important to remember that you make an impression on someone immediately, before you even say a word!
Maintaining a professional appearance will:
Show those around you that you are serious about yourself, about them, and about your career.
Help to prevent the spread of germs. Hair that is unkempt and nails that are too long can pick up and transfer germs. Clothes can retain germs also and should be washed daily.
Help you comply with the rules of the office. In many doctor's offices, medical assistants are expected to wear scrubs. You should check with the office manager or other medical assistants if you are unsure as to what manner of dress is appropriate. Remember that informal clothes such as jeans, sweatpants and sweatshirts, flip flops or other open-toed shoes are never appropriate work attire for a medical assistant.
Help you avoid offending anyone. You should not wear heavy aftershave or perfume to the office since some people are allergic to strong odors.
Help you do your job well. Avoid too much jewelry since it can get snagged on your gloves or on equipment. Comfortable soft-soled shoes are appropriate when you are going to be spending most of the day on your feet.
You can start to practice these rules about appearance even while you are still a student. This will help you get ready for your externship and eventually for a full-time job. Remember that employers may contact some of your professors when they are making decisions about hiring. It is important to make a good impression from the beginning.

6. Professional Behavior
Once you have given a good first impression, your behavior as a professional will solidify their opinion. So what does it really mean to behave like a professional?
Some of the ways to behave like a professional are very simple.
Be on time. Come to work every day unless you are sick or have a true emergency. If you are sick or have a true emergency, call immediately to let your supervisor know that you will not be coming and why. Try to limit your absences because if you are not there, someone else will have to do your job for you.
Keep personal problems out of the work place. Limit personal calls during work hours and do your best not to let any personal problems affect your job performance.
Always be honest. If you do not know how to do something or you need help, ask someone right away, even if you are embarrassed or think you should already know how. Pretending that you know what to do when you do not will only get you, and probably your patient, into more trouble.
Do not gossip about patients or other coworkers. Remember that patient information is confidential and should only be disclosed, even to coworkers, in the interest of treating that patient.
Always be careful if you have to handle payments. Keep accurate track of all the money that comes in and goes out.
Remember the traits that we discussed earlier that are characteristics of a professional? Practicing the behaviors described are just some of the ways that you will be able to show your patients and your coworkers your honesty, integrity, dependability, and discretion—in short, your professionalism.

7. Lesson Summary
In this lesson, you studied some of the characteristics that make someone a professional. You also studied about the best ways to display those characteristics so that others will perceive you to be a professional.
When you feel ready to take the quiz for this lesson, return to the course to select the appropriate quiz.