Professionalism

Professionalism in healthcare management is a vital competency. Developing skills in communication that encompass ethics, best practice guidelines and relationship management are crucial to a manager's success.

(Stefl, 2008)

Professionalism

It is important for health care administrators to have skills that enable them to combine their personal and professional behaviours with ethical principles and organization policies and best practices. Their professional obligations extend to not only the organization they work for but also to the patients and the community at large. (Stefl, 2008)

I am not a member of a professional organization that would hold me accountable for my actions other than my employer (Niagara Region Public Health). Being in a management role I do not belong to a labour union and would not have any protection such as those offered by unions to their membership. My employer does take the use of social media very seriously and recognizes the benefit of using these powerful tools to get their message out. Staff members are encouraged to use these tools for the promotion of health and healthy behaviours. To mitigate any negative issues and to support staff, a workshop is offered to provide direction on the appropriate use of social media. This workshop attempts to educate anyone interested in using it in relation to their public health work. The corporation has a social media expert on staff who facilitates these workshops and is available to staff if they have questions or concerns.

Because health care providers must adhere to professional and ethical guidelines when active on social media, I do not believe they have a responsibility to respond when they see inaccurate information. However, I do believe that organizations that specialize in health topics or are known to be experts, such as Public Health Ontario, the Canadian Pediatric Society and the Canadian Mental Health Association do have an obligation to respond to inaccurate posts and correct misinformation. I see individual posts by these types of organizations but I do not see responses to inaccurate information and I think this is an important opportunity that is being missed.

My own presence on social media is limited and I am conscience of my role and how my actions will be viewed by others. I mainly retweet information provided by experts in their fields that I feel other's might find useful. On Facebook and Instagram I usually just stay connected with friends and family however a few team members have asked to follow me and I have accepted. I am always conscience of presenting a professional appearance when using these platforms when interacting with both personal relationships and colleagues.

Professionalism is important when communicating and when managing relationships. Building and maintaining both internal and external relationships is a vital skill for administrators. To promote effective working relationships it is essential for managers to understand the people they communicate with and interact in a clear and succinct manner. This would include, collaboration, teamwork and accepting and offering constructive feedback. (Garman, Fritz & Fraser, 2006)

Working in Public Health I have the opportunity to interact regularly with a number of professionals each day. I am fortunate to have access to communication specialists, a social media engagement consultant and health promoters who guide our corporate and program presence on social media. I consult with data analysts and epidemiologists when program planning. The human resource consultants support me in recruitment activities and with performance management issues.

I also interact on a daily basis with my immediate team which is comprised of nurses, health promoters, and clerical staff by consulting with them and by providing direction and support. When communicating with team members I try to maintain a more casual, less hierarchical approach while sustaining a level of professionalism.

References

Garman, A. M., Fritz, K. D., & Fraser, M. M. (2006). Communication and Relationship Management. Journal of Healthcare Management, 51(5). Retrieved May 21, 2019, from: https://search.proquest.com/openview/6663143899e4e6b05d00d0c053baf344/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=7080

Stefl, M. E. (2008). Common Competencies for all Healthcare Managers: The Healthcare Leadership Alliance Model. Journal of Healthcare Management, 53(6). Retrieved May 21, 2019, from http://Insights.ovid.com/crossref?an=00115514-200811000-00004

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