Virtues, Vices, and Habits of the Healthcare Provider

VIRTUES: is a moral excellence. It is a positive trait or quality deemed to be morally good. * It comes from the Roman word vir which means “man”.
* Virtue is understood as the faculty of the human person to choose what is good against what is deemed to be bad or evil. (It is like morality. It is a distinction and value.)
(Some of the examples of Virtue are integrity, honesty, fidelity and so on, that will be discussed later.) VICES: is considered immoral, depraved or degrading act to all the members in a society. * It comes from the Latin word vitium which means “failing or defect”. * Vice is considered the product of a repeated sinful act.

(Vices in tagalog is “bisyo”. Vices are to be not done and are avoided.) HABITS: constant, easy way of doing things acquired by the repetition of the same act. “All that we have is habit.” (To explain further, there are two distinctions of habits.) E.G. Our daily routine, when we wake up in the morning and you immediately wear your shoes and start jogging around outside your house 1. Entitative Habits are habits of being. ( Connatural qualities, like, strength, beauty, and such) 2. Operative Habits means habit of acting. (Tendencies we have developed in us from repeated acts.) ex. VIRTUES OF THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER

FIDELITY
All healthcare professionals are to stick to fidelity as they serve the needs of their patients, that is the very purpose why they became healthcare providers. * Fidelity is derived from the Latin word fidelitas which means “faithfulness” * It also means faithfulness to one’s obligations, duties, and responsibilities. He must exercise fidelity. (example: Pledge, in giving aid and healthcare to the patients that’s what you are called for, it is your job to do it faithfully.)

HONESTY
Healthcare providers are called to be honest with their profession- which means honesty to their patients. * Honesty is derived from the Latin word honestus which means “honor”. *Literally, it refers to people who are holding honorable or respectable positions. (He is supposed to be sincere, virtuous, trustworthy, fair, and honorable and so on. He should not cheat or steal anything from his patients.) * In connection to being honest, a healthcare provider must also be loyal. In terms of giving information, such as the patients status/illness, to the patient’s relative in a way that they will understand and accept wholeheartedly. (never cheat or steal from anyone of your patients. Because the truth shall set you free. Always tell the truth about his or her condition in a pleasant and proper way. ) INTEGRITY

* Integrity comes from the Latin word enteros which means whole. (It is integrity that can make a human person whole or complete. The qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. In tagalog pagtatapat.) * The healthcare provider practices integrity when he does his duties and obligations as a healthcare provider according to the beliefs, principles, and value she claims to cherish. HUMILITY

Humility does not mean that one has to think less of himself; rather it invites one to think of himself less. (The root word of humility is humble- ranking low in a scale.) * Only through humility can a healthcare provider stop to think more of himself since he will start thinking more of the wellness of his patients. (EXAMPLE: When healthcare providers are hungry or it’s their lunchtime, then there came an emergency someone was in a critical condition that needs their help. They will go to check that first before they eat because for them patients are important. It’s the lives that is at risk.) RESPECT

It is very important for the healthcare provider to respect and acknowledge the feelings, beliefs, convictions, status, and condition of the patient in relation to the latter’s disease and to his stature as a human being. COMPASSION

Random House Webster’s College Dictionary (2001) defines compassion as “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for someone struck by misfortune.” The same dictionary takes compassion as a merciful feeling. The healthcare provider is expected to be sensitive towards his patients. (Patients are always presumed to be vulnerable and weak, which is why they he needs the compassionate care.) PRUDENCE

It is defined as an exercise of good judgment, common sense and caution in the conduct of practical matters. *Being prudent means less embarrassment and distress.
COURAGE
It is defined as “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, and pain without fear.” * Taking care of the sick requires self-sacrifice and dedication to effect a caring presence, attention, and a courageous commitment to render healthcare. It keeps the healthcare provider to face challenges that head on. VICES OF THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER

FRAUD
It is defined as deliberate; deceit; trickery; an intentional perversion of truth for the purpose of inducing another reliance upon it to part with some valuable thing belonging to him, or to surrender a legal right. Applied in the healthcare profession, it becomes a grave offense on the part of the nurse to harm the dignity and health of his patient. PRIDE

Pride is defines as “…a feeling of gratification arising from association with something good.” It is also understood as superiority. A person drunk with pride always thinks that he is always the best. It is the opposite of humility, being humble one must forget about his achievements and focus on how to help his patient come to terms with recovery. GREED

Greed is an excessive desire for wealth or possessions.
*Its Latin equivalent is avaritia which means “avarice or covetousness”- extreme greed for wealth. A greedy healthcare provider might steal, or display violence against his patients.

In sum, the triumvirate of fraud, pride and greed are the vices that a healthcare provider must avoid. Otherwise he will destroy the dignity and honor of the healthcare profession.