6- Caregiver Professional Conduct
How you present yourself is your statement about who you are to others. See below for a list of important qualities of being a professional caregiver.
Professional --
Respectful --
Reliable --
Professional Boundaries
Professional boundaries include setting and maintaining appropriate limits in your relationship with a client. Just as good fences make good neighbors, clear professional boundaries allow for a safe, trusting, and ethical connection between you and a client.
Setting clear boundaries as a caregiver helps you:
• manage your relationship with a client and other care team members;
• keep a healthy physical and emotional distance between you and a client;
• keep your identity as a caregiver clear;
• know what, how, and when to allow others into your personal space.
Many caregivers find it hard to keep the boundaries of a professional relationship with a client. This can happen because caregivers:
Are people who like helping others and find it difficult to say “no”;
Enter into very private aspects of a client’s life;
Work in a home or other home-like residential setting;
Can become emotionally attached to a client as “family-like” bonds develop.
Warning signs
Not having professional boundaries between you and a client interferes with your ability to provide quality care. Some of the warning signs that professional boundaries may be in question include:
Maintaining a healthy, professional boundary
The best way to maintain a healthy, professional boundary between you and a client is to view caregiving as your job. Viewing caregiving as a job helps you create a needed balance between your work and home life. Having a variety of interests and relationships outside of work is also important.
A family member or close friend employed as an Individual Provider has different challenges in establishing a “professional” relationship with a client.
Professional --
- Demonstrate integrity in word and action
- Take pride in doing the best job possible
- Continually strive to learn and improve
- Stay focused on what has to be done and getting it done
- Be a positive, flexible, team player
- Be responsible
- Communicate clearly and openly
- Leave your personal problems at home
- Do not make private arrangements with clients for services
- Maintain professional boundaries
- Do not accept tips, borrow, or lend money
- Do not use the client’s phone for personal calls
Respectful --
- Be polite
- Listen
- Honor and place value in a person
- Call a client by name
- Keep things private
- Provide choice and privacy
- Use appropriate language
Reliable --
- Show up to work on-time – all the time
- Do what you say you are going to do
- Set realistic expectations of what you can do
- Organize your time to complete all necessary tasks
Professional Boundaries
Professional boundaries include setting and maintaining appropriate limits in your relationship with a client. Just as good fences make good neighbors, clear professional boundaries allow for a safe, trusting, and ethical connection between you and a client.
Setting clear boundaries as a caregiver helps you:
• manage your relationship with a client and other care team members;
• keep a healthy physical and emotional distance between you and a client;
• keep your identity as a caregiver clear;
• know what, how, and when to allow others into your personal space.
Many caregivers find it hard to keep the boundaries of a professional relationship with a client. This can happen because caregivers:
Are people who like helping others and find it difficult to say “no”;
Enter into very private aspects of a client’s life;
Work in a home or other home-like residential setting;
Can become emotionally attached to a client as “family-like” bonds develop.
Warning signs
Not having professional boundaries between you and a client interferes with your ability to provide quality care. Some of the warning signs that professional boundaries may be in question include:
- Frequently thinking about the client away from work;
- Spending your free time with a client;
- Sharing personal information or work concerns with a client;
- Giving special attention to one client over another;
- Keeping secrets with a client;
- Taking gifts or money from a client;
- Giving a client your home telephone number.
Maintaining a healthy, professional boundary
The best way to maintain a healthy, professional boundary between you and a client is to view caregiving as your job. Viewing caregiving as a job helps you create a needed balance between your work and home life. Having a variety of interests and relationships outside of work is also important.
A family member or close friend employed as an Individual Provider has different challenges in establishing a “professional” relationship with a client.