Lesson 5: Professionalism - Communication & Boundaries
Attention
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:
- Practice effective communication skills.
- Apply concepts of professional boundary management.
- Gain an understanding of Maine’s Mental Health System 101: An Introduction to Our History, Values, Services, and Roles
Teaching
Professionalism
Many of you are coming into this field with a lot of skills. Many of you have been helping others for a long time and you are likely pretty good at reading people and talking with them about their problems...that is why some of you were attracted to this field. While these skills are an excellent foundation on which to build, the goal of this program is to turn you into a PROFESSIONAL! So, what makes a professional? I'm gong to take a stab at this one!
"A professional is a person who is able to demonstrate evidence-based skills informed by real-world experience while maintaining excellent communication skills, personal and professional boundaries, and self-care." You came here with some skills and experience. The courses in this program will sharpen those skills and provide you with more and more experiences. This lesson will focus on the last three items: Communication, Boundaries, and Self-care!
Communication
This lesson, it is really about communicating and who to communicate with when you have a specific kind of problem or question. Our organizational policies provide for lines of authority and communication to help facilitate your solution. It might seem like a bit of a "run around" sometimes but in order to get the best answer for your question, we often have to find out who might have that answer. Key individuals that you need to communicate with include fellow students, your Instructor, who is part of the KVCC Faculty, the Chair of that Faculty's department, and ultimately the Academic Dean.
| Talking to Fellow Students | One of the best ways to communicate with everyone is to go by the "Golden Rule"...a paraphrased version of this would be... "Communicate with others as you would have them communicate with you." One of the most valuable sources of information and knowledge available to you in your classes resides in your fellow students. People come to this program from a wide diversity of backgrounds and experiences. I am always amazed at how much I learn from the students that I teach. This information is invaluable. Being a student in this program is not a race and it is not competitive. There are not a set number of good grades that are given that you have to compete for. So, it is very important to treat your fellow students with respect and care. Many of your peers have come from complex backgrounds themselves. This makes them strong but it challenges all of us to be mindful of how we say things. Our goal is to make our classroom a safe place to express ideas and explore some of the most challenging life situations. At all times you must endeavor to:
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| Talking to Faculty | If you are having any problem with your classes...such as not understanding the material, struggling with getting an assignment done, you will be missing class, or even if you are having problems with the teaching itself...your FIRST contact needs to be with the teacher! Although it might seem that some teachers are more "approachable" than others you need to understand something. Teachers are under pressure to be FAIR to all their students...and some of them are teaching material that is difficult for some students to understand. This sometimes leads us to set strict guidelines and expectations for the work...and these often come across as absolute and immovable, and we might even make ourselves look mean and "unapproachable". Don't believe it! Although we sometimes need to stick to our policies, we are all interested in your success and in hearing about your challenges. We want to help you make the changes you need to be successful. Remember, each of your teachers, at one time, was where you are right now...and we got "good" at this "going to school" thing! We have great ideas, great advice, and great guidance. Faculty are, by and large, friendly people. Some will even joke around in class. Despite this "friendly" behavior it is always important, at the end of the day, to treat them professionally. |
Talking to Department Chairs |
Department Chairs are in charge of all the teachers and courses and policies within a specific Department. Sometimes a program and a Department are the same thing (such as in Nursing)...at other times, Department Chairs are in charge of a number of Programs. Either way, if you have not been able to resolve your issue with the teacher, your next step is to contact the Department Chair for your teacher's department. When you are doing this, be respectful of their expertise and their time. These folks are seasoned professionals, respected, and very busy people! Call, make an appointment, and be prepared with your thoughts and any materials to state your case or discuss your issue. The Department Chairs really know what is going on at KVCC and they have the power to intervene or explain a situation from a different perspective. |
Talking to the Academic Dean |
At the top of the heap in the Academic parts of KVCC is the Academic Dean. This person basically run the whole academic show. The job is largely administrative and they are there to create and enforce policy at KVCC. This person is also the one who can agree to "set aside" a policy because of a special situation. Faculty and Chairs can "set aside" policy sometimes too, but some policies are very rigid. After you have gone to the Faculty and to the Chair, if you still need more help, the next stop is the Academic Dean |
Boundaries
You will hear a lot about "boundaries" in this field. Boundaries define the limits of something, very much the way property lines define what is MY land and what is YOUR land.
Here are some examples:
- Job Descriptions
- Job descriptions lay out the terms of what is YOUR job and what is NOT YOUR job. Practicing within the scope of your job (and agency policies) is an example of boundaries.
- Ethical Boundaries
- These boundaries have to do with our jobs as well. Our ethical standards help define what we think is "right" and "wrong" and what we are willing to do and NOT willing to do. Issues having to do with dual relationships, falsifying records, and stealing are ethical boundaries.
- Emotional Boundaries
- This is the one that can get tricky! We care about people! We don't like to see them get hurt or fail. While being "kind and respectful" we have to maintain a certain degree of professional distance from our clients. If we get too "caught up" in "rescuing them" then we do a lot of damage. YES, DAMAGE...we can take someone's will power away...and within reason, we can keep them from some of their most profound learning moments...FAILURE!
Maine’s Mental Health System 101: An Introduction to Our History, Values, Services, and Roles
One of the new requirements, as part of the MHRT/C curriculum revision is that every individual who has their MHRT/C needs to complete this online module. Please follow the link in the box below. You will be a new user so you will need to create a new account, which is under the header "Is this your first time here?"
Link to log into the Maine's Mental Health System 101: |
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Once you complete all of the modules, and pass each of the quizzes, you will then be presented with a certificate of completion. It will be important for you to save a copy of this document, preferably printed and filed in a place you will remember. In the future, it will be a required component when you apply for your provisional or full certification but I also believe they will be expecting validation of completion at your next renewal if you did not include at time of first application.
Assessment
Lesson 5 Discussion
In this lesson we focus on two areas of professionalism: communication and boundaries. Share a story (it does not have to be your own) that demonstrates NON-professionalism. What would you do different or what should that person have done differently? Remember, professionalism is a goal to which we all strive, we are not perfect and we make mistakes. The important thing is that we can learn from these mistakes.
Lesson 5 Assignment
Please submit a copy of your electronic Maine’s Mental Health System 101 certificate of completion. If you need help learning how to submit a document into Blackboard please contact the Instructor before the due date for support.