5 Qualities of a Great Healthcare Professional

If you enjoy being part of a team and helping others, healthcare may be the perfect fit for you. Here are 5 qualities of a great healthcare professional:

Communication

Healthcare involves a lot of moving parts. Communication skills are essential for both speaking and listening. It's vital to both actively listen to patients and communicate information to them in a way they can understand.

Besides the patients, being in the healthcare industry means being part of a team. With that said, it is important to not only communicate well with patients but to communicate clearly with everyone involved in the patient's care, from the dietary team, friends and family of the patient, to direct care providers. 

Compassion

Compassion is critical while working in healthcare because you are often seeing people in their most vulnerable states. It's important you work hard to empathize with a patient's feelings and take steps to alleviate their suffering. Compassion is foundational to caring and a valued quality of anyone working in healthcare. 

Respect

When working in healthcare, it is important to respect the views and values of others, even if they do not align with your own. For example, patients may speak a different language or have cultural beliefs that influence their care decisions. It is important to understand your patients’ backgrounds and what influences their choices, even if you do not agree with them.

Team Player

Healthcare is a team effort. No one works alone. The roles of surgical technologist, registered nurse, doctor, and the sterile technician all intersect. It is important to be respectful of your fellow team members and communicate clearly, both if someone is doing a great job and if there are issues. This way, you can maintain a productive and positive working environment.

Work Under Pressure

Working in healthcare can be both exciting and stressful. Hospitals are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People face health problems or accidents and need immediate help at any time. A typical day for a surgical technologist may involve being on call and ready to respond to an urgent trauma surgery that comes into the hospital.