Introduction
The topic of professionalism in healthcare has been heavily researched since the dawn of the healthcare industry. Nowadays, as people are beginning to realize the importance of intersectionality and how different social groups get treated based on their background, healthcare workers ought to enhance their knowledge on patients’ pasts and build trust, while maintaining a professional relationship with proper boundaries. It is crucial to understand that healthcare professionals’ experiences with patients will vary, but maintaining professionalism with patients is always the utmost priority. A single word cannot describe professionalism, and it is a complex topic that requires ongoing refinement. This paper will explore the topic of professionalism in the era of rising technology and how understanding diversity enables healthcare workers to provide better care while maintaining professionalism.
Annotated Bibliography
Barnard, D. (2016). Vulnerability and Trustworthiness: Polestars of Professionalism in Healthcare. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics 25(2): 288–300.
Barnard (2016) discusses how vulnerability and trustworthiness are pillars of modern professionalism. The author defines professionalism as “at its ethical and humanistic core, professionalism is the commitment of health professionals to be deserving of this trust, in other words, to be trust-worthy” (Barnard, 2016: 294). This article extensively discusses the importance of trust, with a particular emphasis on patient-centered care. Barnard (2016) highlights important aspects of professionalism, such as integrity and accountability, as well as the ability to continually learn and provide the best care for patients. These pillars of professionalism are repeatedly highlighted in the paper, and the author provides bullet points on how healthcare workers can develop these qualities.
This article was published in a peer-reviewed academic journal, thereby establishing its credibility. When it comes to content, the author has ensured that many important ethical issues and general guidelines for healthcare professionals are highlighted. For instance, Barnard (2016) emphasizes the importance of interprofessional relationship skills and then provides examples of how this relationship can be maintained. By highlighting the crucial aspects of professionalism, readers are provided with valuable information.
However, one drawback of the paper is that it provides quite general information on guidelines. Some of those guidelines highlight important things, such as respecting patients and continuous learning, but this paper could have had more merit if it had shown the highlights of dealing with more complex cases. Moreover, the author can simply highlight the importance of maintaining boundaries. Still, there is a lack of specifics regarding the type of boundaries that need to be maintained, even if they are obvious.
Morrow, G. et al. (2011). Professionalism among healthcare professionals. Health & Care Professions Council.
Professionalism is regarded by many as an inherent part of their lives, as noted in the report by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The survey by HCPC (2011) has shown that many participants refer to the traits of professionalism as something “you should just know” (2011: 14). Moreover, surveyed students have recognized that the behavior and communication of a healthcare provider are a vital part of treatment. One of the respondents states that it reflects negatively on a healthcare professional if a patient does not trust them.
One of the key points of this report is its emphasis on the interprofessional relationships among healthcare workers. The report argues that relationships between healthcare professionals are also crucial to their performance. If a team of healthcare workers is treating a patient, good connections within the team are beneficial for the care that they provide to patients. Another crucial point that the report highlighted is equal treatment, which is an inherent part of professionalism and the attitude of healthcare workers. Every patient, regardless of their background, should be treated with equal respect and dignity.
The weakness of this study lies in its reliance on personal experiences, which may be influenced by individual prejudices and biases regarding professionalism. This does not diminish the importance of the study; rather, it encourages readers to think more critically about the biases that respondents themselves may possess. Overall, this study serves as a useful guide for beginners to learn the basics of professionalism, with the contribution of their peers furthering the discussion.
Yu, J. (2022). Op-ed: Using AI Ethically in Healthcare Is Our Responsibility. Web.
Understanding diversity is crucial not only for human healthcare professionals but also for the artificial intelligence used in medicine. In the op-ed written by Jenny Yu (2022), they discusses an interesting implication of innovations in healthcare, and how it affects the understanding of professionalism. The author states that “then there’s the fact that poorly designed AI, trained on data that doesn’t accurately reflect a patient population, can replicate humans’ own worst discriminatory behavior” (Yu 2022). These indicated risks demonstrate that the professionalism of healthcare professionals remains vital, despite technological advancements.
The author discusses a crucial topic in modern healthcare, exploring how to utilize AI professionally and ethically. This op-ed addresses the topics of equal access, data security, the misuse of technology, and ethics. This is important to understand not only for healthcare professionals but also for the public.
One of the strengths of this web post is its ability to discuss complex topics in a clear and accessible way. However, it also makes the article quite simplistic and generic. The article does not highlight how healthcare professionals can mitigate the risks associated with the rise of AI in medicine.
The lack of specific mechanisms is not necessarily the author’s fault; on the contrary, it demonstrates that research on professionalism is not limited, and there are still many opportunities for researchers and healthcare professionals to contribute to the discussion and change the status quo around them.
Conclusion
To conclude, the topic of professionalism is rather complex, and in the age of diversity, intersectionality, and modern technologies, people are in dire need of thinking critically about what professionalism entails for healthcare workers. This paper has examined three types of sources: a journal article, an op-ed by a healthcare professional, and a research report. All these sources, in one way or another, have provided a framework for professionalism. At the same time, some have shared valuable insights into modern professionalism, including innovations in artificial intelligence.
This paper emphasizes the importance of non-judgmentalism, assessing biases and intersectionality, both among healthcare professionals and in modern technologies within their field. Professionalism can take many forms, but when a patient’s well-being is prioritized, healthcare workers perform effectively. Professionalism must be continually refined to deliver the best possible care to patients.