Professional Practice And Individual And Community Needs (Essay Sample)

Title: Professional Practice And Individual And Community Needs
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Introduction
There are ethics and codes of conduct for each and every profession whether legal, medical or any other profession. This code of conduct sets the standards of acceptable behavior from both the professional and the client seeking professional attention. However, questions arise when these simple requirements are violated by the same professionals who end up abusing their office. It is with regard to this that professionals such as doctors and nurses are supposed to employ simple communication skills when dealing with clients. Medical profession, with which this paper is concerned, expects nurses among others in the medical profession, to talk politely and address any concern raised by patients in a manner that would portray professionalism.
As previously noted, there are different professions. These range from teachers, doctors, lawyers and others, just but to mention a few. All these professionals are required to do what their practice allows to benefit individual persons and the community at large (Thompson, N., (2002), at page 17). From their interaction with individuals and different communities, they are able to understand their people better and attend to their needs accordingly. In the case of a teacher who spends most of the time with students, there are many things he or she does to understand his or her students so as to know how to best deal with each case of students. To a teacher, it would be very easy to understand how his student grows up and develop.
Since the teacher as said before, spends most time with the students either in class or field, he can be able to recognize the different learning patterns in every individual student (McLeod, S. A., (2009) pages 21-24) It is only through this that the teacher would be able to design and put into force what he considers the best foot forward towards solving each and every student’s needs thus contributing to the growth of both the student and the community at large. Teachers give assessment to both individuals and groups and assesses their performance as a group and as an individual. It is after this that the teacher would be able to customize instructions to meet each case’s needs in their different areas that need to be developed. Through a teacher’s professional practice, he is able to come up with better formulae that would address every student’s strengths and weaknesses. As a result, this facilitates each student’s advancement in their education process. The foregoing contributes greatly to the growth and development of both students and communities in a positive way.
Communication skills are vital and everyone needs to have such skills so as to properly relate with each other be it professional or as an ordinary person in his daily activities (Hargie, D. W., 1997, page 5). Of great importance are communication skills to professionals than to ordinary persons without underestimating the importance of such skills to the later. This is mainly because there is a standard of behavior acceptable for those with professional responsibilities than every Tom, Dick and Harry on the street or elsewhere.
With the foregoing in mind, people such as those involved in the medical profession are supposed to have communication skills as they would be so crucial in their daily interaction with patients (Barnard, A., 2011, p. 33). In the case of Larry and his wife, it could be noted that those attending to his wife have poor communication skills. They do not know how to talk and respond to questions asked by clients. They seem to have nothing when the subject is principle interpersonal skills. They do not know how to properly communicate verbally, they have none of the necessary effective speaking skills (Day, J., 2006, p. 43), and nothing they do relate to the properly used non-verbal skill. In addition to these, they have poor personal appearance, and they lack clarity in whatever they communicate in the course of their daily interaction with their clients.
With Larry having been admitted, he is seen repeatedly asking but nobody is talking to him properly. To make it worse, none of the staff, even though some appear to be good, explained to him why he was being held for longer than he thought was necessary for him. Communication skills are so important to the medical profession that no medical practitioner ought to miss (Adams, R., 2007, p. 460). If only the staff could have these skills, there would have been no issues of contention and both sides. The skill of talking clearly to the client could have helped solve Larry the energy of thinking too much of the happenings in the nursing home where his wife was taken care of.
If the staff attending to both Larry and Jeannie with the required skills they could have avoided much trouble with Larry. It is essential that when communicating verbally one makes his point clearly and in a voice that would be loud enough for the ears of the receiver. This lacked in the staff when they could not clearly address or explain to Larry everything he asked. Listening skills are also part of the majorly important communication skills. It has been argued that those who are good at communication have also good listening skills (Thompson, N., 2003, pp. 18- 19). To them, listening could be much important than talking and that is what makes them good listener (Thompson, N., 2003, p. 21). And as the saying goes, only a good listener would command a good audience (Leathard, A., 2003, p. 29). It therefore follows that in order to ensure a good professional practice, communication skills are not optional (Thompson, N., 2003, p. 33).
Communication is a twofold process. This involves two different persons agreeing on some information and feelings and is so important in the running and coordination of different activities in life (Hargie, D. W., 1997 p. 2). There are different communication methods. This comprise of non-verbal, verbal and mechanical methods. Non-verbal methods are those methods that do not use spoken or written words. These methods include sign language and body language. One can use signs to communicate with others. Sign language is mostly used by those who cannot communicate verbally (Thompson, N., 2003 pp. 6-8). Body language is also another form of non-verbal communication. A person could show dissatisfaction by frowning or otherwise. Smiling can also be taken to communicate happiness and fidgeting as a sign boredom or tiredness with something that is ongoing. Manipulating images to pass some information is also another form of no-verbal communication. On the other hand, verbal communication is that which entails use of oral communication. This includes speaking and listening, with the latter being the most important element of verbal communication (Burnard, P., 1996, p. 17).
The other form of communication is mechanical. This is presented by a situation whereby someone starts a conversation out of the blues. For instance, in a situation where someone does not know anyone in a community, and that person goes asking if those he meets in that community would like a cup of tea or ice-cream. It would seem awkward in instances and thus would be termed mechanical.
One cannot properly and effectively work with people that one cannot communicate with. This would be a very difficult task. As motorists drive according to the status of the road, so should people be able to adjust to environments and still be able to effectively communicate. Communication within communities is always structured in the sense that those who identify with each other are the only ones that can effectively communicate and would be free to exchange information at any time of the day. Most cases involving group communication require people to identify with each other and to be ready to listen to each other. In a setting such as that of a health and social care, individuals have to be free with each other. They have to understand that those they are about to talk to understand them and thus there would be no reason for fear of interacting and sharing with those around you.
In a similar way, before one starts to communicate with any individuals or people in a community, one must establish how these people have been living and relating with each other. One must investigate the way professionals interact with the ordinary clients and this would help him figure out the best means of communication and how to communicate better with those in that community they are. Establishing the above would be of help to an individual who is still new to some environment and thus would be important if he values the methods of communication allowed or most used by the locals so that he does not appear to be out of order by speaking what may not be accepted as a proper means of communication.
To add on this, it should be acceptable to the professionals to allow the clients to use simple language or informal in that matter, although professionals may use words formally allowed by their profession. Lastly on communication between professionals and local communities, is that it should be easily understood by either of the parties if communication is the only way to achieving an objective. Communication between workmates may be informal as they know how they operate and communicate as among themselves. How people relate amongst themselves should dictate whether to use informal or formal method of communication.
Another most important element when professionals relate with clients is that of confidentiality. For instance, there are some things people would not be willing to share with anyone unless they are sure that such information would be protected. A patient would be free to share any information with a caregiver of nurse only if the nurse can be trusted ...