Badasch ppt 01 rev

Introduction to Being a Health Care Worker

History of Health Care

Health care has developed and changed throughout history. Knowing the history of health care helps you understand current procedures, practices, and philosophies. The experiences and discoveries of the past led to the advances of today.

Today’s achievements could not have occurred without the trials and errors of the past. When you understand the primitive beginnings of medicine, you appreciate the advances made during the past 5,000 years.

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No electricity, few tools, poor shelter Protect themselves against predators Believed illness and disease were caused by

supernatural spirits Used trephining, herbs, and plants as medicine


• Egyptians first people to keep accuracy records• Ancient Chinese first to use acupuncture

therapies• Ancient Greeks first to study causes of disease

– Illness has natural rather than spiritual causes– Considered medicine an art– Learned some disease caused by lack of sanitation

Romans developed sanitation system First to organize medical care


Hippocrates based his knowledge of anatomy and physiology on observation of the external body Known as the father of medicine Disease not caused by supernatural forces Wrote the standard of ethics ─ Oath of Hippocrates


Medical science stopped for 1,000 years when Roman Empire conquered by the Huns Medicine practiced only in convents and monasteries Primary treatment was prayer Care was custodial

Epidemics Bubonic plague, smallpox, syphilis


Rebirth of learning Universities and medical buildings built New ideas about disease Dissection of the body Development of the printing press


Leonardo da Vinci studied and recorded the anatomy of the body

William Harvey used physiology to describe circulation of blood and pumping of the heart

Gabriele Fallopius discovered the fallopian tubes Bartolommeo Eustachio discovered tube leading from

the ear to the throat Antonie van Leeuwenhoek invented the microscope Apothecaries/early pharmacies started Practice of quackery


Students attended lectures, treated patients at their bedsides, and dissected bodies

Elizabeth Blackwell first female physician in United States

René Laënnec invented the stethoscope Joseph Priestly discovered the element oxygen Benjamin Franklin discovered bifocals and that colds

could be passed from person to person Edward Jenner discovered smallpox vaccination which

led to immunizations


Ignaz Semmelweis identified cause of childbed fever Louis Pasteur discovered tiny microorganisms are

everywhere Father of Microbiology Pasteurization kills bacteria in mild

Joseph Lister first doctor to use antiseptic during surgery Ernst von Bergmann developed asepsis Robert Koch developed the culture plate method to identify

pathogens and also isolated the bacterium that causes tuberculosis

Wilhelm Roentgen discovered x-rays Paul Ehrlich discovered the effect of medicine on disease-

causing microorganisms


Anesthesia, nitrous oxide, ether, and chloroform discovered

Gerhard Domagk discovered sulfonamide compounds ─ medications effective in killing bacteria

Dmitri Ivanovski discovered that some diseases are caused by microorganisms that cannot be seen with a microscope (viruses) Rabies Measles Chickenpox


Sigmund Freud discovered the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind Basis of psychology and psychiatry

Sir Alexander Fleming found that penicillin killed life-threatening bacteria

Jonas Salk discovered that a dead polio virus would cause immunity to poliomyelitis

Albert Sabin used a live polio virus vaccine, which is more effective. Francis Crick and James Watson discovered the molecular

structure of DNA, based on its known double helix. Christian Barnard performed the first successful heart transplant in

1968 Ben Carson separated Siamese twins and performed

hemispherectomies (surgeries on the brain to prevent seizures)


Telemedicine practiced Consultative, diagnostic, and treatment services E-mail, fax, telephone

New inventions and procedures have changed medicine People are living longer and healthier Greater need to understand geriatric medicine


Hippocrates Bartolommeo EustachioLeonardo da Vinci Anton van LeeuwenhoekWilliam Harvey René LaënnecGabriele Fallopius Joseph Priestley

Benjamin Franklin Joseph ListerEdward Jenner Ernst von BergmannIgnaz Semmelweis Robert KochLouis Pasteur Wilhelm Roentgen

Paul Erlich Alexander FlemingGerhard Domagk Jonas SalkDmitri Ivanovski Albert SabinSigmund Freud

15Copyright (c) 2009 Pearson Education

Florence Nightingale created the Nightingale School of Nursing Designed a hospital ward that improved the environment and

care of the patients Clara Barton volunteered as a nurse during the Civil War

Established a bureau of records to help search for missing men Established the American Red Cross in 1881 and to serve as its

first president. Lillian Wald established the Henry Street Settlement in

New York to bring nursing care into the homes of the poor Led to the Visiting Nurse Service of New York


LVN/LPN Nurse assistant Unlicensed assistive caregivers


anesthesia antiseptic asepsis convents custodial dissection epidemics ethics exorcise

geriatric intravenously microbiology Microorganisms monasteries noninvasive observation pasteurization phlebotomy


physiology predators primitive psychiatry psychology quackery recipient replicate

respiration stethoscope superstitious symptom telemedicine trephining vaccines


Becoming a Health Care Worker

A health care worker is a well-trained professional whose top concern is patient welfare. Health care workers must have a thorough knowledge of current health procedures. They must maintain a professional appearance and practice professional behavior. They must also safeguard the confidentiality of patient information. You must keep in mind all of these standards of behavior as you become a health care worker.


Match key terms with their correct meanings. Discuss the importance of proper health care

training. Describe the proper appearance for a health

care worker. Discuss standards of behavior. Discuss the importance of confidentiality when

working with patient records.


Choose a quality healthcare program that meets your needs Technical, community or four year colleges with

accredited programs Obtain a certification or an associate’s, bachelor’s,

master’s or doctoral degree Continue your education after employment, as

health care procedures and knowledge change constantly


Professional appearance reflects your commitment to patient care Follow facility’s dress code Minimum jewelry Wear name badge Clean and appropriate shoes Clean hair Follow rules of good personal hygiene


Behave professionally Calm and courteous manner Listen carefully Monitor patients appropriately Perform tasks efficiently Do not gossip about staff or patients Do not use coarse or offensive language Do not “horseplay” Watch for hazardous situations Follow all facility safety procedures


Empathy Honesty Dependability Willingness to learn Patience Acceptance of criticism Enthusiasm

Self motivation Tact Competence Responsibility Discretion Team player


Exhibit positive personal traits

Make sure you portray positive body language Make and maintain eye contact Smile Keep an open stance Give patient your full attention Keep your hands away form your mouth when

speaking Sit or stand at eye level when talking to a patient


Confidentiality of patient records is critical Patients sign confidentiality form before

receiving treatment Legally binding document

Health care workers may be reprimanded if they do not ensure patient confidentiality


accredited appearance commitment confidentiality converse courteous

hygiene maintain professional recommendations reprimanded stance
