ETIQUETTE AND GROOMING AS PART OF NURSES’ PROFESSIONALISM

EUNICE KAMIMO,

KRN, KRPN

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INTRODUCTION

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Etiquette and Grooming are both important and basic concepts in the management and operations of a health facility, and particularly the operating room (OR)/theatre.

They are significant aspects of personal presentation that can help improve both personal and professional life, thereby enabling an individual to create a positive impression, self confidence and enhanced interaction with others.

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INTRODUCTION…

• Work place etiquette: Refers to the code that governs expectations of social behavior in a given workplace set up. It is crucial in a professional work environment and it is put in place to respect and protect time, people and processes at the workplace. The use of etiquette in the workplace ensures that all the staff/team members feel comfortable and they can be more productive in performing their respective tasks.

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WORKPLACE ETIQUETTE…

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• Work place etiquette should go beyond mere good manners; it must be embraced as a tool for cultivating good relationship among team members as well as between the team and the clients they serve. To be successful in a workplace, individuals should exude etiquette in every task they perform no matter how big or small the tasks may be.�

GROOMING

• Grooming on the other hand refers to the Cleanliness/tidiness and hygiene of both an individual (nurse) as well as that of the environment in which he or she works. Consequently in the workplace grooming can be categorized as both Personal and Facility or Theater grooming.

GROOMING…

• Personal grooming: It entails body cleanliness and adhering to the dress code, as well as the tidiness and proper maintenance of your nails, hairstyle, shoes, jewellery and accessories. It also include regular shaving and brushing.
• Theatre grooming; This refers to the neatness of the operation room, such as; traffic flow, arrangement of equipment, labelling of drawers, theatre floors and walls maintenance, etc.,

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CHARACTERISTICS OF WORKPLACE ETIQUETTE

• Dress Appropriately: When you dress appropriately and professionally at the workplace, it shows respect for both yourself and your colleagues at the workplace. And it also helps to create a positive first impression.

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• Punctuality: Keeping time at the work place is a sign of respect for your colleagues and it demonstrates that you value their time and yours too.

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CHARACTERISTICS…

• Kindness and respect: Etiquette is largely based on both respect and kindness, consequently, we should always refrain from doing things that may embarrass and demean other people (especially colleagues and clients) at all times.

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• Nurses should strive to observe the A, B, C, of etiquette which is; Appearance, Behavior and Communication. These three will enable us to stand out in our respective roles and resposibilities.

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CHARACTERISTICS…

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• Body Language: Our body language (how we carry ourselves) affects the impression we make on others. The first impressions are formed within just a few seconds of our encounter with other people. It is therefore very important to present yourself as a true professional.

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• Keeping your work place clean: This also borders on the grooming of the work environment, and implies the importance of keeping your working area clean throughout the working duration.

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OVERVIEW OF A STUDY CONDUCTED ON ETIQUETTE AND GROOMING�SAFDA S.A, AQEEL L, PAK J. MED 2019�

• Background of Study:
• A proforma / questionnaire based on qualitative study was carried out at a College of Nursing known as; Armed Forces Postgraduate Medical Institute (AFPGMI) & National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi, (Pakistan) for a period of 12 months from Jan to Dec, 2017.

BACKGROUND…

• The study was founded on the critical role played by the nurses in their interaction with the patients, who are normally not in their best of health or mood as they visit our hospitals.
• Most of the times, in the Casualty, Emergency Rooms or Wards, Nursing Officers are the main Health Professionals with whom the patients come in contact first. Nurses are the face of our health service and hospitals.

STUDY HYPOTHESIS AND OBJECTIVE

• Hypothesis: The BSc. Nursing course has limited hours dedicated to grooming and personal development. A smartly turned out, well trained, empathetic and efficient nurse helps in alleviating the miseries of the patients. Thus, if the nurse does not have the appropriate standard of manners, the chances are that patients would be even more put off.
• Objective: The study aim was to establish the acceptability and perceived usefulness of a course focusing on grooming and etiquette for all BSc Nursing students.

STUDY METHODOLOGY

• An eight week course, with weekly lectures was conducted for the first, second, third and fourth year classes. At the end of the course, a semi-structured proforma/questionnaire with simple open ended questions was administered.
• The questions were both in English and Urdu. The results were analyzed by finding percentages of positive and negative responses. The descriptive responses were grouped in recurring themes and analyzed for content and their constructive value.

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RESEARCH FINDINGS

FINDINGS…

• The study established that the nursing students were overwhelmingly in support of the Etiquette and Grooming course in BSc Nursing.
• It also confirmed that the patients’ expectations are not only of medical competence, but also a truly caring and concerned attitude.
• It was established that most of the complaints generated in the hospital regarding nursing care are not of medical nature but usually about the attitudes and behaviors.

FURTHER FINDINGS…

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• The study also demonstrated that nursing is not only about learning the basics of profession, but involves maintenance of confident posture, dress code, and the way nurses conduct themselves, even under severely stressful situations.
• Besides, it is important for nurses to pay attention to the aesthetics of own grooming and exude a class, embedded in the professionalism of nursing.

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IN CONCLUSION

• Nursing is a very demanding and critical profession. It is therefore important that the training for the nurses includes sensitization to the non-technical attributes such as; communication, etiquette and grooming, interpersonal relation skills, etc.
• The grooming and etiquette of the nurses also make them role models for young talented people who may be interested in joining this noble profession.