Professionalism - Assignment Example

Answer a) Professionalism can broadly be defined in terms of working within a broad based umbrella of specific knowledge ascribed to certain fieldof public service with values that incorporate social responsibility and accountability for one’s own actions. According to Schwartz1 (2010) a professional is one who ‘practices a learned profession i.e., one who has special knowledge and skills used to benefit the public, regardless of personal gain. This separates the learned professions from those self-proclaimed “professions” that essentially exchange goods and services’. Hence, a professional needs to acquire requisite skills and knowledge about the profession and work within the defined code and conduct of the profession. Indeed, the wide paradigms of code of professional etiquettes form the vital ingredients of being a ‘professional’ within the specific area of work. Answer 1(b) Dentistry and law are both considered to a profession primarily because of the specialized skills and knowledge that are acquired through comprehensive module of education in the specific field and serve the cause of the masses. Dentistry is the area of medicine that caters to the dental well-being of the persons. Law, on the other hand mainly, is an important part of social structure and can be broadly defined as a set of rules enacted by the sovereign body to maintain law and order and to disperse justice as per the interpretation of the law for the concerned offence. Both, the dentists and lawyers undergo comprehensive educational curricula. They have to study their subject in predefined manner and undergo intensive training within the specific area before they are graduated and allowed to practice within their defined area of specialization. Most importantly, professionals in both the areas are bound by invisible bonds of social contract with the public and are expected to work within the broader confines of social values and ethics. Answer 2 The major five values that support my definition of professional are: competence, ethical considerations; confidentiality; commitment; and accountability. Competence in the profession helps to inculcate confidence amongst the clients and encourages the professional to excel in his or her field. Ethical considerations are extremely vital part of the professionals because their specialized knowledge is applied to serve and satisfy three major stakeholder; employer, clients of the employer and society. At the same time, working within the realm of professional code and conduct must be inherent part of a professional. Hence, decisions made on ethical considerations become critical to a services delivered by the professionals in the specific field. Confidentiality of the clients is also a key issue within the professional paradigm that promotes credibility and trust. He keeps his client’s interests at the top priority and maintains the confidentiality of the clients’ information. Commitment to the work is intrinsic part that greatly facilitates professional dignity and enhances credibility amongst the various stakeholders of the profession. The core values of dentistry as assigned in the code of conduct are important ingredients that are incorporated within the practice and show the level of commitment to the profession as well as to the patients and other stakeholders. Accountability to one’s action is one of the most significant ingredients of a professional and has become one of the most crucial aspects of modern behavioral pattern. They need to be committed to the service of the individuals within the society and therefore, must ensure transparency in their work and take responsibility for their actions. These values are highly relevant primarily because the general ethics form the basis of mutual interaction amongst the people in a society. Though some of these values evolve to embrace the changing times and others may interpret it differently under different situation but the universal acceptance of what is right and what is wrong has given them a strong foothold to withstand the adversities of the time. Misuse of confidential information of the patients and clients is the key ethical dilemma in the lives of the professionals that requires urgent attention. While it is true that knowledge provides us with the choices to imbibe, cultivate, facilitate, use, misuse and so on, the sensitive approach and the accountability of one’s actions must become the most important criteria of professionalism. Indeed, the social construction is intrinsically linked to knowledge and therefore, its judicious use in the various professions and by professionals must inherently encompass ethical and moral obligations that serve the wider interests of the public at large. Answer 3 Being a professional greatly increases the responsibility of the individuals and promotes exemplary behavior to uphold the integrity of profession and also the trust of the people who become the beneficiaries of his or her services. In the contemporary environment of fast transforming dynamics of social structure, the public perception of delivery of services in the various fields, especially in nursing, dentistry and law are being significantly impacted by the external environment of changes vis-à-vis technology, pluralistic society, changing values etc. Indeed, the pre-defined and pre-conceived idea of interacting with people has become irrelevant mainly because the professionals now have to deal with the whole system within which his clients lives and not merely that of an individual. The fast changing socio-economic paradigms have made it imperative that more consideration be paid to socio-cultural and political environment so that the requirements of the people became the focal point within the workplace. Understanding of cross cultural values and effective communication become highly relevant to the nursing perspectives. Nursing is defined as ‘health care services that focus on assisting people in maintaining health, avoiding or minimizing disease and disability, restoring wellness, or achieving a peaceful death’ (Chitty2, 2007). Thus, the core of nursing involved dedicated and ethically delivered care to the medically sick persons. Nurses represent the high standard of legal, ethical and moral consideration within the precinct of nursing paradigms. Hence, nursing needs to be focused towards welfare of the patients implemented through informed choice, understanding and empathy that promotes mutual trust and confidence building with the patients. Welie3 (2004) asserts that collectively the ‘expert service providers in the dental profession is jointly responsible to relieve the needs of all people with dental problems, not just the patients that each individual dentist elects to treat’. It clearly endorses a set of values or professional code of conduct that proposes an ethically delivered service by the dentists. Thus, the dentists need to work within the prescribed code of conduct of their profession and have huge responsibility towards their patients. They are also accountable for their actions and behavior not only to the public but also to their professional values and peer group. Law is probably the most notorious and also the most vital part of social structure that is intrinsically linked to the dispersal of justice for the people at large. Eminent lawyer cum writer, Slayton4 (2007) has exposed the nexus between the law and the crime in the most gruesome manner. The lack of ethics and moral obligation within this profession has increasingly given it a more sinister connotation that must be addressed urgently. Interestingly while Slayton’s views are inclined to be pessimist and focus on the growing misdemeanor of the law professionals, the inclusion of legal ethics and principles of ethically practiced law in the course curricula of Canadian Law University and many others across the globe give hope for new breed of lawyers who are more conscientious. The most important issue is that public must become a proactive agent of inculcating responsible behavior and accountability within the professionals of various areas and bring them within the framework of wider purview of public accountability system. Answer 4 Dentistry is one of the highest paid and also the most expensive public service in the world today, especially in the developed countries like America, England, Canada etc. The reimbursement system therefore often becomes a tool of temptation for the dentist to either over-treat a patient for larger share of remuneration or adopt a short cut to minimize his or her monetary loss. While ACD5 and CDA6 agree on empowered decision making which relies on self regulation than the dictums of law, both differ in the moral perspective of the dentistry. CDA believes that as a professional they must exert moral choice in their decisions whereas ADA says that as professionals, they must adhere to professional code of conduct and leave the moral choice to the public or the patients! (Welie, 2004). The question of autonomy of their professional decisions therefore becomes the critical element of their dental practice and needs to be assessed from the wider view point of public service that is inherent in the modules of professionalism. The public perception of the professionals in the dental field seems to be significantly impacted by the increasing cost and quality of service that promotes a sense of insecurity and doubt about their integrity, especially by the segment of society that is less privileged and which cannot afford the high cost of dental care. I believe that the government must become the major facilitator of change and introduce strict measure of checks and control so that healthcare, especially dental healthcare becomes more accessible to lower strata of society. The distrust and lack of confidence in the dental fraternity needs to be addressed by the dental associations who must incorporate more holistic approach to dentistry and take into consideration the wider implication of the environment within which the patient lives. Social support is important and patients must be empowered to determine the type of social intervention they want and relevant information must be provided by the nurse (Finfgeld-Connett7, 2005). Hence, the dentistry should not be just confined within the dental precincts but promote physical, mental and social well-being of the person. Answer 5 The Gallup8 polls are highly popular way of predicting public perception regarding the qualitative paradigms of the various professions and professionals. They are important indicators of changing opinions of the public for different issues that impact the public welfare. Indeed, it considered to be appropriate for validating scientific theory or facts and seeks to determine the truth of the theory. The methodology chiefly relies on the fact that the data sought can be quantified and thus can be applied on large number of people. The generalization of a theory therefore, becomes the most significant aspect of the Gallup polls. In he contemporary times, it helps to keep a check on the complacent attitude of the professional in different fields with regard to the welfare of the public and also of the emerging new paradigms in the various areas of public concern that have become highly complex and need to be addressed urgently. (words: 1765) Reference Chitty, K Kittrell. (2007). Conceptual and Philosophical Bases of Nursing. Elsevier Inc. University of Phoenix. Gallup. Worldwide Research Methodology. Retrieved from: Finfgeld-Connett D. (2005). Clarification of social support. Image. J Nurs Scholar 37(1):4-9. Slayton, Philip. (2007). Lawyers Gone Bad: Money, Sex, and Madness in Canadas Legal Profession. Viking. Canada. Schwarts, Barry. (2010). Dental Ethics and Professionalism Handbook. Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. Welie, Jos V M. (2004). Is Dentistry a Profession? J Can Dent Assoc 2004; 70(10):675–8. Read More