medical legal ethics

1. professionalism

PROFESSIONALISM

You are being trained to become a Perioperative Theatre Technician. On completion of this programme, you will be expected to be proficient in providing general perioperative care to clients/patients requiring surgical interventions. This unit aims at moulding to become a professional Perioperative theatre technician. You will at all times, whether on or off duty, be expected to display certain professional characteristics. You will begin by defining a profession, a professional perioperative theatre technician and theatre practice.

 

Profession

A profession may be defined as calling, vocation requiring specialised knowledge, methods and skills, as well as preparation in an institution of higher learning in the scholarly, scientific and historical principles underlying such methods and skills'.

 

Members of a profession are committed to continuing study, to enlarging their body of knowledge, to placing service above personal gain and to providing practical services, vital to human society and social welfare. A profession functions autonomously and is committed to higher standards of achievement and conduct.

 

Operating Theatre Technologist

It is a technician/Technologist who supervises the circumstances in the operating room and continually measures the requirement of the patient and surgical team. Operation Theatre Technology is a detailed technical occupation in the field of health science

 

Characteristics of a profession:

·       Has a theoretical body of knowledge and skills

·       Encourages full time commitment to service, establishing standards of practice which are maintained by all members

·       Exercises self-discipline

·       Protects the public

·       Is responsible for the advancement of the profession

·       Develops its ethics to accommodate new demands and circumstances of the profession

 

Characteristics of a Perioperative Theatre Technician

•       Displays high standards of performance and integrity in theatre practice

•       Seeks constantly to improve her/his technical and interpersonal skills through continuing education and research

•       Uses sound judgement and discretion in dealing with patients/clients and their relatives

•       Provides holistic care to patients, family and community

•       Deals competently with crisis situations

•       Puts what is good for professional services to patients ahead of self-interest

•       Coordinates and evaluates operating theatre services in cooperation with members of team members and other health services (collaboration and networking)

•       Is not overly concerned with the materialistic aspects of operating theatre care

•       Expects to find satisfaction and spiritual values in their work

•       Feels responsible for the status of theatre (surgical) care and tries to advance and never to retard it

•       Has inner resources to which she/he can turn to, for renewal of faith and courage when weary and discouraged

•       Is proud of her/his profession and considers it to be at par with other professions like medicine or law or any other vocation practiced for compensation, which at the same time contributes in its own unique way to the welfare of humanity

 

Personal Attributes

Personal attributes that help a theatre technician to display professionalism include:

•       Good personal appearance with a voice that does not scare patients

•       A ready smile, gentle hand, orderly in thought and action

•       Emotionally mature, compassionate, dignified, tolerant, friendly, sympathetic and interested in other people

 

All characteristics are advantageous to the creation of a friendly and conducive environment for the patient's recovery. As a theatre technician, you must at all times have serenity of mind and self-control to be able to handle a variety of situations and patients.

 

Personal Grooming

Personal grooming is very important to a theatre technician. Remember, every patient has a mental picture or image of how their health workers should be. The health worker's appearance provides security and hope to a patient.  

 

Your uniform should not be tight or very loose to hinder free movement during an emergency. It must be very clean to prevent cross infection and is to be well pressed. The dress or skirt should be below the knee cap to give allowance for bending. The material should not be 'see-through'.

 

Female technicians should avoid bright inner wear especially if their uniform/out cloth is white. The uniform should be well maintained, that is, fallen buttons or torn zippers should be replaced, rips and tears mended and stains removed.

 

As you are aware, hair is a source of micro-organisms. Female technicians should tie back long hair neatly. Male technicians should have their beards and moustaches neatly shaven.

 

Shoes should be low-heeled and soft to avoid making excessive noise, which may disturb patients. The technician should maintain daily care of shoes, socks or stockings in order to prevent cross infection. Nails should be trimmed and coloured nail polish avoided. The freedom to wear jewellery, watches, pens, scissors or handkerchiefs will depend on individual hospital regulations.

Remember: The patients have a right to identify the health worker  who is providing their care. It is advisable therefore to wear an identification tag at all times showing full names and qualifications.

 

Policy on Health

 

The policy as supporting environment:

Health has long been and is increasingly a concern of all people as citizens of the world, as citizens of sovereign nations, as participants in the endeavours of the field of social welfare/social development, and as professionals engaged directly or indirectly in various roles in the human services.

 

In keeping with their holistic view of the person, Perioperative Theatre Technician view health as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), namely as a positive state of physical, mental and emotional well-being.

 

Illness is seen as the converse of health and includes suffering from sickness and disablement, contagious diseases and diseases of deprivation that involve the lack of food, of clean water, of pure air, of safe shelter, of health services, and of social services. 

1.1. personal attribute and grooming

Personal Attributes

Personal attributes that help a theatre technician to display professionalism include:

•       Good personal appearance with a voice that does not scare patients

•       A ready smile, gentle hand, orderly in thought and action

•       Emotionally mature, compassionate, dignified, tolerant, friendly, sympathetic and interested in other people

 

All characteristics are advantageous to the creation of a friendly and conducive environment for the patient's recovery. As a theatre technician, you must at all times have serenity of mind and self-control to be able to handle a variety of situations and patients.

 Personal Grooming

Personal grooming is very important to a theatre technician. Remember, every patient has a mental picture or image of how their health workers should be. The health worker's appearance provides security and hope to a patient.  

 Your uniform should not be tight or very loose to hinder free movement during an emergency. It must be very clean to prevent cross infection and is to be well pressed. The dress or skirt should be below the knee cap to give allowance for bending. The material should not be 'see-through'.

 Female technicians should avoid bright inner wear especially if their uniform/out cloth is white. The uniform should be well maintained, that is, fallen buttons or torn zippers should be replaced, rips and tears mended and stains removed.

 As you are aware, hair is a source of micro-organisms. Female technicians should tie back long hair neatly. Male technicians should have their beards and moustaches neatly shaven.

 Shoes should be low-heeled and soft to avoid making excessive noise, which may disturb patients. The technician should maintain daily care of shoes, socks or stockings in order to prevent cross infection. Nails should be trimmed and coloured nail polish avoided. The freedom to wear jewellery, watches, pens, scissors or handkerchiefs will depend on individual hospital regulations.

Remember: The patients have a right to identify the health worker  who is providing their care. It is advisable therefore to wear an identification tag at all times showing full names and qualifications.