Medical information is prime gossip material. Theprohibition on the release of medical information issometimes difficult to remember, but it is essential tothe maintenance of professional integrity.One important commitment that all Corpspersonnel have is the obligation never to abuse thecontrolled substances that we have access to—or totolerate abuse by others. These substances are on theward or in the mount-out block for use, under a medicalofficer’s supervision, for the care of patients. Anyother use must not be tolerated.PERSONAL APPEARANCEExcellent personal hygience habits, includingcleanliness, neat hair styles, and spotless, correctuniforms are essential for the Hospital Corps. Ourappearance can positively or negatively influence theopinion the public has of the medical community. Botha professional appearance and attitude enhance theoverall reputation of the Navy Medical Department andreinforce our role as competent healthcare providers.LEADERSHIPNaval leadership is based on personal example,good management, and moral responsibility. All of thepersonal traits previously discussed are alsoconsidered leadership traits. You will learn that manyexamples of effective leadership are those that are setby officers, chief petty officers, and senior pettyofficers. The success of the Medical Department restsheavily on the petty officer. Good petty officers are thebackbone of the Medical Department, whether they aresupervising military personnel or conductingspecialist duties.INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSLEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recognize howan understanding of a patient’s culture, race,religion, sex, and age can affect interpersonalrelations.As a healthcare provider, you must be able toidentify, understand, and use various kinds ofinformation. In addition, it is important that youdevelop good “interpersonal relations” skills. Inproviding total patient care, it is important that you seethe individual not only as a biological being, but also asa thinking, feeling person. Your commitment tounderstanding this concept is the key to yourdeveloping good interpersonal relationships.Simply stated, your interpersonal relationships arethe result of how you regard and respond to people.Many elements influence the development of thatregard and those responses. In the followingdiscussion, some of these elements will be discussed asthey apply to your involvement in the military serviceand to your relationships with other healthcareproviders and the patient.CULTUREBecause of the multi- and cross-cultural nature andmilitary mission of the Navy Medical Department, youwill frequently encounter members of various cultures.Culture is defined as a group of socially learned,shared standards (norms) and behavior patterns.Concepts such as perceptions, values, beliefs, andgoals are examples of shared norms. In addition,apparel, eating habits, and personal hygiene reflectcommon behavior patterns of specific groups ofpeople. An understanding of common norms andbehavior patterns enhances the quality—and often thequantity—of service a provider is able to makeavailable. An individual’s cultural background has aneffect on every area of healthcare service, ranging froma simple technical procedure to the content andeffectiveness of health education activities. Becomingfamiliar with the beliefs and practices of differentcultural and subcultural groups (the militarycommunity, for example) is not only enriching to thehealthcare provider, but also promotes an under-standing and acceptance of the various peoples in theworld community.RACEThe term race is a classification assigned to agroup of people who share inherited physicalcharacteristics. This term becomes a sociallysignificant reality since people tend to attach greatimportance to assuming or designating a racialidentity. Information identifying racial affiliation canbe an asset to the healthcare provider in assessing thepatient’s needs, carrying out direct-care activities, andplanning and implementing patient educationprograms. Racial identification has the potential tocreate a negative environment in the healthcare settingwhen factors such as skin color differences motivate2-5
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