Importance Of Respect In Health Care

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Respect is needed for a good relationship between a heath professional and patient; it is the heart of health care. What is respect then? Respect is showing someone that they matter and that they are worth your time. Health professionals need to remain respectful to their patients at all times, so patients do in fact feel as if they are being taken care of to the fullest ability. The concept of respect can be shown and applied to almost all aspects of health care. In addition, as with everything in life, there can also be some barriers to respect in our profession. A patient’s first impression of a health professional is most likely going to be formed by whether they believe you are respectful and trustworthy (Purtilo, Haddad, & Doherty, 2014). …show more content…

The majority, 93%, of communication is nonverbal. When considering nonverbal communication, one should think about facial expressions, gestures, physical appearance, and proxemics. Eye contact is so very important along with nodding one’s head and showing signs that you are really listening. As far as physical appearance, health professionals should be sure to wear their uniforms and badges so patients can easily identify who they are. When it comes to proxemics, health professionals should be aware of how they use space while interacting with patients. Some patients may not care for physical interaction, but others may need a quick pat on the knee or a hug of reassurance. Being able to recognize professional boundaries and use respectful physical interactions is very …show more content…

An individual barrier would be the lack of taking care of one’s self. “…many health professionals are so attuned to being care givers or care providers that they perceive themselves as immune to needing care themselves” (Purtilo et al., 2014, p. 58). Taking care of one’s self is just as important as taking care of patients. Finding a balance between work life and a social life is imperative for a health professional to respect themselves and keep sane. Sometimes not taking care of one’s self could lead to a lack of respect in our jobs, as there may be elevated levels of stress. Elevated levels of stress could possibly lead to worse communication with patients. This would then have an impact on relationships between health professionals and

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