Respect, Team Morale and Ethics

Although I have only worked in the health care industry for a short period of time, I have encountered many incidents of disrespect among staff. It is understandable that this behavior is not demonstrated in all aspects of health care but it is important that it is addressed. Employees should feel as if they are appreciated and respected by their fellow co-workers and supervisors. Sometimes supervisors do not see their employees as equals and this is not true. Without the assistance of the employees, health care organizations would not run smoothly. Employers need their employees and employees should not be viewed as inferiors.

Workers should not be looked down upon or treated inhumanely. When constructive criticism is needed, it should be presented to employees professionally. Yelling or disrespected employees when errors are made is unnecessary and employees may be less likely to cooperate with supervisor.

This blog has been written because there have been many displays of disrespect in an industry that is supposed to show compassion. If employees are not able to respect each other, this may reflect in the behaviors demonstrated to patients. Therefore it is essential that health care providers and staff are able to work in an environment in which respect is given.

Additionally, the health care industry is an industry where teamwork is vital. If team members are not working together, this could also affect the care given to patients. The lack of teamwork could result in the lack of communication, which could lead to errors, and ultimately affect patient quality.

Although this blog did not address a particular case, I felt that it was necessary to address an issue that is seen frequently in the workplace. Health care administrators should stress the importance of team morale and respecting co-workers. The workplace is an environment in which people spend many hours and it is important that employees feel comfortable. Since disrespect and lack of compassion are not viewed as ethical. The ACHE Code of Ethics states that health care professionals should provide a work environment that displays and encourages ethical conduct by employees (Pozgar, 2005). Therefore, these are ethical concerns should be addressed by health care administrators.

Reference

Pozgar, George. (2005). Legal and ethical issues for health professionals. Jones & Bartlett Pub.