Slip, Trips, & Falls
When walking down a hallway, where should your eyes be looking to promote safety?
A) Down at your feet
B) At your phone
C) Behind you
D) In front of you; scanning the path ahead, checking mirrors, and looking out for any obstructions
D) In front of you; scanning the path ahead, checking mirrors, and looking out for any obstructions
If you look down at your feet, at your phone, or behind you; this puts you at risk of injury from a slip, trip, and fall incident including collisions which could damage property or cause injury to others.
True or False: Nonverbal communication refers to communication that does not make use of language (spoken word) to communicate.
True!
Like verbal communication, non-verbal communication expresses ideas and emotions. Unlike verbal communication however, nonverbal communication does not use words or spoken language. Instead, it involves body language, facial expressions, gestures, appearance, and silence.
Read over the following conversation topics. Which two should be avoided at work?
1) The weather
2) Food
3) Workplace conflicts or complaints
4) Pets/ animals
5) Personal health or medical information
Workplace conflicts or complaints and personal health or medical information should not be discussed at work. This is sensitive, personal, and/or confidential information. Sharing this information about yourself or others may result in your coworkers feeling uncomfortable, offended, or viewing you as unprofessional.
True or False: It's okay to use a hand tool or piece of equipment that you've never been trained on so long as you're pretty sure you know what you're doing.
False! Never use a hand tool or piece of equipment that you've not received training on how to use. If someone ever asks you to, this is a moment to practice self-advocacy! Speak up for yourself and inform the other party that you have not been trained on how to use that hand tool or piece of equipment. This is to ensure your own safety.
True or False: You should never lie on a job application or during a job interview. Dishonesty can be a major reason not to hire - or to fire - a person.
True!
Fill in the blank: Slip, trip, and falls are the ______ most common cause of workplace injuries in the United States.
A) second
B) seventh
C) tenth
D) 20th
A) second!
And this is why it's important to understand how to prevent slip, trip, and fall incidents!
Which of the following is NOT a practical benefit of understanding nonverbal communication?
Being able to determine if someone is...
A) Available or unavailable
B) Interested or uninterested in a conversation topic
C) In a pleasant mood or possibly stressed
D) A dog person or cat person
D) A dog person or cat person
This is NOT a practical benefit of understanding nonverbal communication!
Understanding nonverbal communication at work has many benefits. It can help us determine if our boss or coworker is available for a question or if they are busy (e.g. that it's not the best time). Understanding nonverbals help us to make good impressions at work, maintain our professional image, work effectively with others/ avoid distracting others, avoid offending or making others uncomfortable, etc.
Before you speak, T.H.I.N.K. What does this acronym stand for?
T - Is it true?
H - Is it helpful?
I - Is it inspiring?
N - Is it necessary?
K - Is it kind?
You twisted your ankle while at work, but it doesn't hurt and so you're pretty sure your not injured. What should you do?
A) Continue with your work task and report the incident when you leave for the leave
B) Report the incident immediately following chain of command
C) Don't report (since your not injured, you don't need to say anything)
D) Leave a post-it note on your supervisor's desk about what happened and then continue with your work task
B) Report the incident immediately following chain of command.
Don't wait until later in the day. Report the incident as soon as it happens. Follow chain of command and report it to your immediate supervisor. They will provided guidance regarding any further steps that may be necessary.
Name at least 2 items that you should bring with you to a job interview.
Any of the following: Professional folder to organize papers, Notepad & pen, 3+ copies of your resume, List of References, Copy of job description & any notes (e.g. printed email with instructions), Charged phone (on silent), or Valid Photo ID
True or False: It is acceptable to move a cart using only 1 hand/ point of contact.
False! When moving a cart (or linen bin), always maintain 2 point of contact. That means to keep both hands on the cart whenever it is in transport. If you need to use your phone or take a break, pull your cart or linen bin to the side and ensure that it has fully stopped moving before removing your hands.
Any of the following: maintaining good eye contact, facing the speaker, nodding, smiling, leaning forward slightly, maintaining an open posture, eliminating distractions, taking notes
Name 2 ways in which you can be courteous of "shared space" while at lunch.
Be courteous of volume (e.g. Don't shout, laugh loudly, play loud audio on your phone, or talk across tables). Clean-up after yourself (don't leave a mess for someone else/ throw away your trash/ wipe up spills). Respect personal space (don't sit too close to others, touch others belongings, share food, or look over someone's shoulder to view their phone). Include others (invite someone to sit with you or make space for someone to sit down, ask other what they would like to talk about/ welcome them to talk). Remain professional (keep sharing professional and don't ask personally invasive questions). Maintain good hygiene (cover your cough or sneeze, wash your hands to prevent exposure and spread, step out to the restroom if you need a "human moment" so you don't make other uncomfortable).
Name 2 examples of times that you should practice hand hygiene.
After touching your face.
After blowing your nose or wiping your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
After doffing gloves.
After disposing of or touching trash or anything that many be dirty.
Before and after eating as well as before and after preparing food.
Before and after using the restroom.
After touching a contaminated surface or object.
Before and after caring for, or being in close proximity to, someone who is sick.
You have a 10am job interview. What time should you be walking through the doors (on-location) for your interview?
A) Exactly at 10am
B) 10:10am to be fashionably late
C) 9:45am-9:50am to be 10-15 minutes early
D) 1 hour early
C) 9:45am-9:50am to be 10-15 minutes early
It is best to arrive on-site 10-15 minutes early. Don’t arrive too early (20 minutes or more). If you do, find a safe spot to wait so you don’t inadvertently pressure or rush the interviewer by arriving too early. But absolutely DO NOT arrive late. This will leave an impression of being disorganized and/or unprofessional. Be sure to leave your home with plenty of extra time in case you hit traffic, make a wrong turn, need to use the restroom, or encounter other delays.
Obstructions are a major contributor to slip, trip, and fall incidents. Obstructions are objects that block hallways, entrances/ exits, or any place where people regularly walk. What can you do in department to prevent causing an obstruction?
A) Wait in front of a door for your Skills Trainer to arrive
B) Stop in the middle of a hallway to send a message to staff
C) Don't report obstructions or spills that you see; simply step over them
D) Pulling your cart to the side/ against a wall so as not to block paths when taking a pause
D) Pulling your cart to the side/ against a wall so as not to block paths when taking a pause
We often use carts while in department. If you need to send a message, go to the restroom, or simply take a pause to plan your next move; be sure to safely pull your cart to the side so that you do not block hallways, doors/ elevator doors, or other paths where staff, patients, or guests would need to walk.
You ask your coworker "How was your weekend?" They respond saying "oh just great" in a sarcastic tone while rolling their eyes. What is the function of your coworker's nonverbal communication?
A) It substitutes their verbal communication
B) It compliments their verbal communication
C) It contradicts their verbal communication
D) It repeats their verbal communication
C) It contradicts their verbal communication!
Your coworker's sarcastic tone while rolling their eyes is contradicting their verbal message. Their nonverbal communication is letting you know that their weekend was NOT great and that they likely had an unenjoyable or stressful weekend. Rather than prying into their personal business asking "What happened?" you might try a simple acknowledgement and keep it positive wishing them a good day. For example, "Oh, sorry to hear that. Well, I hope you have a good day today."
You been invited to a team event (such as a potluck). What are 2 things that you should NOT do while attending?
DON'T: Overfill your plate with food when the dish is intended to be shared with everyone.
DON'T: Assume that it’s okay to pack up leftovers to go for yourself or family (Only do so if invited to and only after everyone has finished eating).
DON'T: Share any negative thoughts such as not enjoying a food item or the event as a whole.
DON'T: Avoid participating or avoid conversation. Be a team player and attend if you can. Maintain a positive attitude and practice work appropriate small talk.
DON'T: Fail to practice good decision-making or discretion regarding what and how much to eat. Don't overeat or eat food that you will have difficulty digesting or are allergic to. This could negatively impact your job performance for the rest of the day or compromise your own physical health.
DON'T: Leave a mess for others/ fail to clean-up after yourself.
DON'T: Be overly casual. You are still at work and should maintain your professionalism. Respect personal space/don't sit too close to others, keep sharing professional and don't ask personally invasive questions, maintain good hygiene/wash your hands and step out to the restroom if you needed.
Name 2 examples of "high touch" areas or surfaces that you should wash your hands after coming in contact with.
Door handles/ door knobs. Elevator buttons. Handrails. Cabinet/ drawer handles and knobs. Phones. Restroom/ Plumbing fixtures (e.g. faucet handles, soap dispensers, toilet flush levers, etc.). Shared equipment (e.g. microwaves, refrigerators, copy machine, desks, keyboards, computers, etc.).
You get a question during the interview that you do not know the answer to. Give a good example of what you might say to professionally handle this situation.
Something to similar to the following phrases:
"Can you rephrase that? I wanted to be sure to understand the question."
"That's a tough question. Can I have a moment to think about that?"
"I don't have an answer to that right now. I'll have to get back to you on that one."
Name 3 human factors that may cause a slip, trip, or fall.
Any of the following: being on your phone while walking, multitasking, not paying attention/ daydreaming, running/ rushing/ moving faster than is safe, taking shortcuts/ not using designated walkways, not being aware of your surroundings/ poor situational awareness, tiredness/ fatigue, becoming distracted/ unfocused, carrying something that obstructs your view
There are 7 types of non-verbal communication. One type is proxemics. What is proxemics?
Proxemics is communication involving use of space between persons.
Proxemics examines how people use and interpret personal space and physical distance in different social contexts such as intimate space (reserved for close relationships), personal space (comfortable distance for acquaintances), and public space (used in formal or public settings).
While at work, we should always be careful not invade another’s personal space as this will make them uncomfortable.
Your supervisor just got off the phone and appears to be stressed. He's frowning and has his arms crossed. Using T.H.I.N.K. and what you know about workplace professionalism, read over each of the following statements and give at least 1 reason why it would NOT be a good idea to say that to your supervisor?
- "Why are you upset? Was that phone call bad news?"
- "Well, aren't you Mr. Grumpy Pants today."
- "Your non-verbals aren't very professional. You should sit up straight, uncross your arms, and try smiling."
"Why are you upset? Was that phone call bad news?"
- Not a good idea because this is a personally invasive question (his phone call is none of your business/ not related to your work task or role). We also don't know for sure that he is upset. And even if it is true, it's not helpful, inspiring, necessary, or kind to bring it up.
"Well, aren't you Mr. Grumpy Pants today."
- It's not true, helpful, inspiring, necessary, or kind. This is also an inappropriate and unprofessional joke. Your supervisor will likely not find this funny and be offended. Also, you should only refer to a person by the name they introduced themselves with. Do not make up nicknames for people.
"Your non-verbals aren't very professional. You should sit up straight, uncross your arms, and try smiling."
- While this may be potentially be true and intended as a helpful tip, it is not your place to deliver this feedback to your supervisor (chain of command). Additionally, this feedback was unsolicited (not asked for) and untimely (not the best time) and so will likely be perceived as destructive rather than constructive criticism.
Demonstrate how to correctly doff (take off) gloves. (Hint: think "glove to glove, skin to skin").
Skin should not come into contact with the contaminated surface of the glove. With a gloved hand, remove and ball up the other glove. Then slide a finger underneath the other glove and remove it while turning it inside out (again, skin should not touch the outside/ contaminated surface of the glove).
You are asked during an interview: "What are your weaknesses?" or "What are your biggest growth areas?" How would you professionally answer this question.
Correct answer: A genuine growth area (weakness) that demonstrates self-awareness followed by steps that you are taking to learn and improve in this area or other strategies or skills you use to overcome this challenge.
Wrong answers: Saying that you don't like working with people or that you are chronically late (e.g. naming a weakness that disqualifies you from the position), saying "I don't have any weaknesses," or saying "I don't know."