Title: The Health Care Industry and Your Role
Course: HCP 0796 Patient Care Technician > Section: Module 1

Introduction

Module 1 introduces the student to making a commitment to your job. In healthcare as with any profession the individual must place their job as a high priority in their lives. The performance you give each day will ultimately affect the lives of others. No job in healthcare is insignificant or unimportant which requires the employee to have a basic understanding of what is expected in their daily performance.

There will be a clinical component. The clinical component of this course allows the student to incorporate all of the individual skills they have learned e.g. CNA, phlebotomy, and EKG, into a daily routine.  Tying it all together into one multi-skilled job requires the use of time-management, prioritization, and critical thinking skills.  Students must successfully complete three 6-hour clinical days in an emergency room utilizing their CNA, EKG, and phlebotomy skills.

Objectives

In this module students will be able to:

- Identify three factors that positively impact recognition as a health care professional.
- List eight healthcare jobs that are important and require professionalism.
- Explain the importance of a systems perspective.
- Identify five factors that demonstrate a strong work ethic.
- Differentiate between the terms accountable, reliable, and diligent.
- Describe the attitudinal differences between optimists and pessimists.
- Define corporate compliance, conflict of interest, and whistle blower.
- Discuss the importance of confidentiality and HIPAA.
- Identify how competence and scope of practice impact quality of care.
- Define corrective action and list five behaviors that could result in job dismissal.
- Explain the purpose of performance evaluations and list three ways to prepare for one.
- Differentiate between objective and subjective evaluation criteria.

Pay attention throughout the course because each module builds upon the previous module in content and the student should be able to demonstrate this knowledge in the clinical setting.

Readings

Clinical Information

Text Preface, Introduction

Chapter 1 Making a Commitment to Your Job - introduces you to the expectations of the employer in a healthcare setting. We will look at jobs that require professionalism as well as the big picture and where you fit into it all. Then we will briefly discuss how you can develop a strong work ethic, which is a quality all employers desire as well as require.

Next we will discuss how the quality of your work is extremely important and how to enhance the quality of work you produce. Along with this concept is the evaluation of performance which the majority of companies use regardless of whether they are in the healthcare industry.

Finally, we will discuss some of the company policy compliance issues that arise with regard to healthcare employees. This will include how you represent your company during working hours and in your personal life.

In the discussion board for this module we will cover some difficult scenarios that a healthcare provider may face. Being able to rationalize the correct handling of these situations now may allow you to be better prepared if or when something similar arises during your professional career. The required text readings should serve as a guide to the most professional ways of handling such events.

Instructions

- Complete Student Contract
- Complete Readings
- Complete Greetings and Introductions Discussion Board
- Complete Instructor Expectations
- Complete Discussion 1
- Review Clinical information and sign up for rotations