Title: Explain the importance of a professional demeanor on the part of all healthcare professionals.
Course: Medical Laboratory Technology II (14102-II) > Section: Exploring Professional Choices

Explanation should include the following concepts:

- A professional demeanor is characterized by actively listening to the patient and family and addressing their questions and concerns; ensuring that the patient and family understand procedures, risks, and potential results of laboratory testing; tending to the physical needs of the patient with gentleness, confidence, and respect; maintaining a calm, courteous, and professional manner; and treating each patient as an individual, respecting his or her personality, culture, age, and condition.
- A professional demeanor is essential for establishing patient trust, communicating essential information to the patient and family, and maintaining professional integrity.
- A professional demeanor is essential for understanding ethical practice with respect to cultural, social, and ethnic diversity as it applies to healthcare delivery.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What are some examples of professional demeanor?
- How can a healthcare professional's establishment of patient trust positively affect patient care outcomes?
- What role can active listening play in establishing and maintaining successful communication with a patient? With the patient's family? What other techniques can help contribute to successful communication with a patient and his or her family?
- What is professional integrity? Why is it important to the healthcare professional? To the patient? To the healthcare organization?
- How can a professional demeanor reduce personal job stress?
- How do professional organizations provide guidance on expectations for professional behavior?