VA Policy Memorandum HRMS 05-68.pdf

Phoenix VA Health Care System Phoenix, Arizona

Policy Memorandum No. 05-68 October 25, 2016

EMPLOYEE-EXPECTATIONS OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

AND CORE VALUES AND CHARACTERISTICS

1. PURPOSE: To establish standards of professional staff conduct and to define who we are, our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries at the Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS) and the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). The values of Integrity, Commitment. Advocacy, Respect and Excellence (I CARE) serve as our foundation for the way we treat those we serve, as well as each other at the PVAHCS and how we treat people outside of the organization. The VA Core Values and characteristics are principles and behaviors that every VA employee should possess and demonstrate.

2. POLICY: PVAHCS employees must exhibit the highest standards of conduct to ensure patients receive excellent care and treatment from staff members. Employees must maintain proper, helpful, courteous, therapeutic and respectful relationships with patients, staff and visitors.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES:

a. The Medical Center Director is responsible for disseminating, implementing and enforcing this policy and for initiating corrective actions as necessary.

b. Service Chiefs will oversee compliance with this policy within their areas of responsibility.

c. Supervisors and managers will ensure that employees follow the provisions of this policy, and provide necessary guidance. They will consult with Service Chiefs or Human Resources Management Service (HRMS) as needed, and will initiate appropriate action when violations of this policy occur.

d. HRMS staff will provide a copy of this policy to all employees and new hires, and assist employees and supervisors in understanding and implementing the policy.

e. Employees are responsible for adhering to this policy.

4. STAFF PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS:

a. The PVAHCS staff provides friendly, efficient and quality service to all patients, visitors, staff and trainees at all times. It is important to keep in mind that patients, visitors, staff and trainees are customers to whom the staff is ultimately responsible.

Phoenix VA Health Care System Policy Memorandum No. 05-68 Phoenix, Arizona October 25, 2016

b. To the extent possible, it is important that every interaction be a positive one. A friendly, helpful manner usually ensures a positive experience even when the message conveyed is not a pleasant one.

c. Each staff member is a representative of the PVAHCS. The impression made on patients, visitors, staff, and trainees profoundly affect the PVAHCS's image and reputation in the community. Therefore, the following staff behaviors are prescribed:

(1) Treat everyone politely, promptly, and with individual attention.

(2) Answer the phone in a pleasant manner, using a friendly greeting, identifying the PVAHCS and yourself and offering help.

(3) Greet everyone. If you know someone's name, use it when greeting them.

Acknowledge people's presence by smiling and making eye contact.

( 4) If you are busy with another patient, acknowledge the patient who is waiting and explain that you will help him/her as soon as you can.

(5) Wear your Personal Identity Verification (PIV) identification badge above your waist.

(6) Keep conversation with other staff members to a minimum while you are working with a patient or visitor. Even though you may be discussing patient business, our Veterans may perceive you are socializing and are too busy to help them.

(7) Avoid personal phone calls while you are at your work station.

(8) Take personal phone calls away from your work station. Either tell the caller you will call back or ask someone to cover for you and go to a non-public area to take your call.

(9) Being helpful to patients, visitors, and staff takes precedence over desk work.

Patients and visitors aren't an interruption of our work; they are our work.

(10) Whenever possible, when referring a patient to another staff member, ask the staff member to help the patient instead of leaving the patient to fend for himself/herself. A careful handoff should be achieved.

(11) Conduct transactions in a helpful, pleasant tone of voice. Keep any impatience, annoyance or implication of ignorance from your voice.

Policy Memorandum No. 05-68 October 25, 2016

(12) Do not reprimand or scold patients, visitors, or staff.

(13) Use plain language when speaking to patients and visitors. Don't say "I don't know" but rather state "I will find out for you." Try not to let a patient or visitors leave the PVAHCS without following through on every possible avenue for addressing his/her needs .

. (14) If there will be a lapse of time before you can obtain information for a patient or visitor, tell him/her you will call them back. Don't tell the patient or visitor to call back.

5. VA CORE VALUES & CHARACTERISTICS:

a. Integrity We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards in what we do and what we say.

Integrity is an internal system of principles which guides our behavior. It is intertwined with honesty, reliability, responsibility, compassion, dependability, generosity, kindness, loyalty, respect, and trust. Our Veteran's perception of the PVAHCS is our customer's perception of you. It also means employees must avoid engaging in misconduct that reflects poorly on the organization, regardless of whether they are at work or outside the workplace.

(1) We conduct ourselves with the expectations of the profession we have chosen.

(2) We understand our job description and meet all competency requirements.

(3) We always perform high quality work regardless of whether it will receive notice from others.

(4) We welcome an open exchange of ideas as well as constructive feedback and suggestions, in an appropriate setting, for the success of the PVAHCS.

(5) We speak the truth without blame or judgment and decline to participate in gossip or spreading rumors.

(6) We maintain confidentiality at all times.

(7) We take responsibility for the care and service of every patient and family.

(8) We are respectful of views that are different from our own views.

Policy Memorandum No. 05-68 October 25, 2016

(9) We hold ourselves accountable to deadlines so our co-workers can rely on

us. We are punctual in meeting attendance. If unanticipated delays occur, we notify another attendee.

(10) We keep promises and commitments.

(11) We model the behavior that we expect of others. Our words and actions consistently support our co-workers, patients, our department and the PVAHCS.

b. Commitment We are committed to support and help each other so we can achieve excellence in our work. We work together to build strong, positive relationships with each other and among departments.

(1) We are committed to working together to solve problems by understanding that all positions are interrelated and interdependent.

(2) We maintain a positive and flexible attitude by working to help others and adjust our schedules when possible for the good of the organization.

(3) We arrive promptly and are ready for work when scheduled. We are considerate of co-workers by taking breaks as work load permits and with appropriate communication.

(4) We show commitment to each other by offering and accepting help with a positive attitude. We mentor new employees, welcoming them to our team by setting an example of the cooperation expected in the workplace.

(5) We help each other be successful.

(6) We accept additional responsibilities. We avoid the words, "It's not my job."

Or "we are short-staffed" or "I can't help you."

(7) We are flexible when faced with changes to work duties, the environment, and schedules.

(8) We recognize and support the skills and abilities of others.

(9) We embrace change and work through conflict together to focus on common goals, to reach collaborative solutions, and by continuing to maintain and foster positive and strong relationships throughout the facility.

c. Advocacy

Phoenix, .Arizona

Policy Memorandum No. 05-68 October 25, 2016

We strive to create the very best health care experience for our patients and other .beneficiaries. We continuously evaluate and improve our work processes.

(1) We proactively look at ways to improve our services. We take responsibility to voice our suggestions and concerns about our services through appropriate means.

(2) We work to create efficient and effective systems so that we do not spend our time repeatedly fixing the same problems.

(3) We thank patients and visitors for trusting the PVAHCS to meet their needs.

(4) When needed, we escort our patients to the next caregivers, introduce them, and give them reassurance of their ongoing excellent care.

(5) We take pride in the workplace and help keep our work area clean by picking up litter, debris and spills promptly.

(6) We maintain a safe environment by understanding all safety codes and how to respond to them.

(7) We communicate and follow-up with patients, visitors, and co-workers to inform them of changes in the service or care being provided. If a delay occurs, we apologize for and acknowledge the delay, accept personal responsibility, convey that their time and needs are important to us and keep the Veterans informed of changes in wait times with a positive attitude.

d. Respect We practice behaviors that demonstrate courtesy, privacy, and dignity for all our patients, co-workers, and visitors. Keys to acceptable behaviors are open and appropriate communication. In our interactions, we display kindness and offer help, being courteous, honest and thoughtful.

(1) We are polite, respectful and recognize the need for coworkers to function as team members.

(2) We always display compassion and empathy for every patient and team member, regardless of their social, economic, or educational status. We will avoid negative body language toward patients, visitors, trainees or co-workers.

(3) We always knock before entering an office or patient's room. We will respect others personal space by asking permission before acting.

Policy Memorandum No. 05-68 October 25, 2016

(4) We are respectful of each patient's privacy through the full implementation of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Privacy Act to establish an atmosphere of dignity and confidentiality. We understand that patient information should only be discussed between individuals involved in their care.

(5) We are mindful of noise levels for patients, visitors, trainees and coworkers.

(6) We treat each patient, visitor, trainee and co-worker with the same level of respect and compassion we wish for ourselves. We embrace diversity throughout the workplace, with patients and their families, by making a genuine effort to understand their needs.

(7) We keep all interactions positive by not engaging in disruptive or inappropriate physical fighting or verbal behavior. Inappropriate verbal behavior includes demeaning, obscene, or disrespectful comments, personal attacks, emotional tirades or displays of hostility or aggression .

(8) We discuss sensitive issues only with those who need to know.

(9) We practice elevator etiquette by allowing visitors to enter and exit first and by being mindful not to discuss patient information.

e. Excellence We have an uncompromising drive to deliver outstanding performance in every aspect of responsibility. We strive to exceed our customers' and visitors' expectations, inspire others and demonstrate exceptional quality.

(1) We set and maintain high personal and professional standards.

(2) We use resources responsibly and effectively.

(3) We contribute to the safety and security of the working environment.

(4) We treat government property with care and respect.

(5) We suggest and help implement quality improvement initiatives.

(6) We do our part to ensure that VA national and local goals are achieved.

(7) We look beyond our assigned tasks. Our responsibility does not end where our coworker's responsibilities begin. When it is appropriate to perform a service, we do so.

Policy Memorandum No. 05-68 October 25, 2016

(8) We treat each customer as ifs/he is the most important person in our facility.

(9) We represent the PVAHCS positively in the workplace and the community.

Behaviors including criticizing and complaining about the agency in the workplace and in public are not consistent with employee excellence and expectations of employee behavior.

6. REFERENCES: The Joint Commission Comprehensive Accreditation Manuals for Hospitals, Home Care, Long Term Care and Behavioral Health Care, current edition, "Dealing with Violence in the Workplace: A Guide for Agency Planners", United States Office of Personnel Management, Office of Workforce Relations, OWR-08, February 1998, Policy Memorandum No. HRMS/05-04.

7. RESCISSION: Policy Memorandum No. HRMS/05-68 dated March 16, 2012.

8. ATTACHMENTS: None

9. EXPIRATION DATE: October 2019 tf ~ r/. r;J___

RIMAANN 0. NELSON

Medical Center Director