In this post, I am going to discuss a clinical experience which I found unprofessional during my placement which forms part of Clinical practice. Furthermore, I will provide definitions on professionalism, leadership and provide an account on how I would have chosen a different approach supported by literature.

Worthington (2015), defined professionalism as ‘‘A concept applying to a particular category of persons that includes attitudes and behaviours in and out of the workplace’’. It provides a framework for modern practice and the way the healthcare training is constructed today in teaching hospitals”.

During my general rotation for this year, I was placed at a hospital which fell under the rural district for my province. At this block, many of the trials and tribulations I faced was from the staff and their lack of professionalism in the workplace. I was often belittled in front of patients and humiliated in front of staff or on the staff communication group. If a mistake was made you knew that harsh criticism would follow with a subtle threat of how the placement could be made unbearable.

It is standard practice to receive an orientation by staff on one’s first day as to avoid unnecessary confusion and questions later on. Not only were we (myself and another student at this block) not given one, but often scolded or had to endure snide comments when questions arose.

All patients were to be seen in the physiotherapy gymnasium which had at least twelve patients at a time (there were little to no space for privacy for these patients) and expectations of fifteen minutes’ treatment time was the norm, regardless of the patient’s age, condition or whether it was a new patient or follow-up. The Chief of Physiotherapy would often interfere with treatment time by either asking questions of a nature that was not meant for learning, make a comment about treatment given to other staff members in the vicinity eliciting loud laughter or snickering or simply taking over because she felt (and made it known) that we as students were incompetent but would not use those situations as a teaching moment.

Leadership was defined broadly as ‘the process through which an individual attempt to intentionally influence another individual or a group in order to accomplish a goal (Burns, 2018).  According to Shakour et al (2012), leadership in which the leader has the ability to lead an individual or a group of individuals towards the organizational goals is considered to be effective leadership.

There are six main leadership styles mainly Autocratic, Paternalistic, Democratic, Laissez-Faire, charismatic and transactional. The autocrat leadership style is described by Harms, Wood, Landay, Lester & Vogelgesang Lester, (2018) as follows: “Autocratic leadership is an extreme form of transactional leadership, where leaders have complete power over staff. Staff and team members have little opportunity to make suggestions, even if these are in the best interest of the team or organization”.

Furthermore (De Hoogh & Den Hartog, 2008) found that hospital managers tend to use autocratic leadership style whereas the existence of a dominant style can not necessarily be the best one in the variable and complicated environment.

Unfortunately, the leadership style at this particular healthcare setting was autocrat. I am of the opinion that her leadership style was often unprofessional which contributed to poor morale when one had to report for work and whilst working in that environment but I learned a lot from that block. Nevertheless, there is alternative leadership styles that I would have employed should I have been in a leadership position.

In conclusion if I were to be in a management position, I would adopt a Democratic/Participative leadership style as I am of the opinion and from my experience above, that it allows one to achieve the best productivity and boosts work morale which will lead to better bed side manners and patient care. As an employee, I would try my best to treat my colleagues and patients with the same respect and care I expect. In hindsight, I am now grateful for my previous block as I experienced how unprofessionalism and poor leadership affects the productivity and efficiency within the healthcare system.

REFERENCES

Burns L. (2018). Shortell & Kaluznys Health Care Management.  Cengage Learning.

De Hoogh AH and Den Hartog DN (2008). Ethical and despotic leadership, relationships with leader’s social responsibility, top management team effectiveness and subordinates’ optimism: A multimethod study. The Leadership Quarterly; 19(3):297-311.

Harms, P., Wood, D., Landay, K., Lester, P., & Vogelgesang Lester, G. (2018). Autocratic leaders and authoritarian followers revisited: A review and agenda for the future. The Leadership Quarterly, 29(1), 105-122. doi: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2017.12.007

Shakour M, Alizadeh M & Ghasemi M (2012). Assessing the Leadership Styles and Effectiveness of Administrators in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 1388. Iranian Journal of Medical Education;11(9):1255-64.

Worthington, R. (2015). Ethics and professionalism in a changing world. Investigación En Educación Médica, 4(15), 175-178. Retrieved on 08/10/2018 from doi: 10.1016/j.riem.2015.05.002