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MORAL AND ETHICAL NORMS OF THE CULTURE OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION OF THE HEAD OF A HEALTH CARE INSTITUTION

A solution to the problem of forming interpersonal relationships in a medical institution is proposed. One of the ways to solve this problem is the observance and cultivation by the head of the health care institution of moral and ethical norms of business communication in the team. The idea of implementing partnership relations in the collective, which prevents corrupt actions of officials and detection of dishonesty in industrial relations, is stated.
Keywords: manager, managerial activity, health care, communication, partnership relations, rules of integrity, morality, ethics.

Chernovol-Tkachenko R. I.
PhD in Pedagogy, Professor, Director of the Institute of Postgraduate Education and Management,
H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Kotelukh M. Yu.
Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor, applicant for the second (master’s) level of higher education
of the Institute of Postgraduate Education and Management,
H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine

10.34142//2708-4809.SIUTY.2022.36

The urgency of the problem of forming interpersonal relationships in healthcare institutions is due to the fact that the health of another person, their safety and livelihood depend on joint decisions and coherence of relationships. Today, everyone feels anxiety and insecurity caused by the war in Ukraine. When patients are admitted for treatment, they want to be treated well by the medical staff, to communicate with a friendly team, to feel joint decision-making and indifference to their problems.

One of the ways to solve this problem is for the head of the healthcare facility to observe and cultivate moral and ethical standards of business communication in the team. In such circumstances, the patient will be helped not only by medicines and care, but also by a favorable climate in the healthcare facility. The idea of implementing partnerships in the team is widely promoted in modern society. This is due to the fact that corrupt actions of officials, examples of dishonesty and, as a result, dissatisfaction with the work of the manager occur in industrial relations.

However, in practice, the moral and ethical norms of the culture of business communication of the head of a healthcare institution are not always correctly understood from the perspective of the idea of equal partnership. Sometimes it is voiced as “I can do what I want, I have the right to do it”. In our understanding, it is the ability of the manager to create conditions for professional self-realization of each employee, to unite the team for joint decision-making, to recognize and encourage professionalism and a high level of commitment. The tasks set are possible to fulfill when the manager and his/her subordinates adhere to the moral and ethical norms of the culture of business communication in professional activities.

Based on the analysis of the curriculum of the discipline “Psychology of Management in Medicine” (for bachelors, specialists), compiled by E. Prokopovych and V. Horachuk [3], we note that it addresses the issues of communication management culture, as well as its features in accordance with the hierarchical level of management in health care institutions. However, no attention is paid to the moral and ethical norms of the culture of business communication of the head of a health care institution from the perspective of the idea of equal partnership.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the moral and ethical norms of the culture of business communication of the head of a health care institution from the perspective of the idea of equal partnership.

Moral norms are a system of requirements that define a person’s duties and rights, primarily to himself or herself, but also to the world around him or her. These are certain patterns of human behavior, and they are almost permanent because they are based on universal values. These values include, as is customary in philosophy and pedagogy, goodness, duty, conscience, honor, dignity, meaning of life, etc. Moral norms are manifested in the attitude to the people, the Motherland, national culture, customs, traditions, work and its results, to another person and to oneself. In essence, moral norms include friendly relations in the team, understanding of the needs of another person, the desire for teamwork and joint solutions to work situations.

In this study, we use the term “moral and ethical norms” to deepen our understanding of the managerial activities of a healthcare facility manager. In such a position, it is not enough to understand and accept universal human values, but to always adhere to the professional ethics of a doctor and a manager. This combination obliges the head of a healthcare institution to enrich himself spiritually, develop intellectual abilities, and constantly improve his personal and professional level. Such a manager will need charisma and leadership skills when working with subordinates and sick patients in need of medical care.

As stated in the Code of Ethics for Physicians [1], the head of a healthcare facility is, first and foremost, a highly qualified physician, and the main feature of a healthcare professional’s professional activity is his or her ability to preserve and protect human life and health, to prevent diseases and restore health, and to promote recovery at the best of his or her vital signs. A physician shows respect for the life, dignity and rights of each patient based on moral and ethical standards adopted in a developed and democratic society, and is responsible for his or her decisions and actions in providing care to patients. He/she serves humane goals and develops his/her own moral and ethical positions, principles, behavior and specific actions.

It is important that a doctor is obliged to constantly monitor new developments and apply an innovative approach to professional activities.

In this sense, we can talk about the acmeological position and competence of the head of a healthcare institution. In order to assimilate new ideas and produce them in professional activities, he/she needs to constantly improve his/her own potential, build relationships with subordinates on a partnership basis. We are impressed by the opinion of O. Hrechanyk and V. Hryhorash [2] that the acmeological competence of a specialist is the ability to constantly move to new heights, to learn and discover the resources of creative inspiration and enthusiasm.

According to the analysis of the scientific work of Y. Palekh [3], communication and human behavior are closely related. Ethical behavior is a manifestation of a person’s morality and compliance with the norms of social life.

Of course, moral and ethical norms of human behavior are revealed primarily in interpersonal relationships. We fully agree with the author, who believes that freedom of choice and decision-making, mutual understanding and tolerant behavior are the main things in business market relations.

A business person should have moral qualities, and their combination with professional knowledge and skills will contribute to the formation of the image and authority in the production team.

The effectiveness of business communication depends on the observance of moral and ethical standards of behavior among team members, between partners, and between managers and subordinates. Business communication is characterized by specific forms of contacts and interaction between people, during which they exchange information, suggestions, ideas, concepts, and views. The head of a health care institution engages in business communication both internally and externally. At the internal level, he/she ensures the cohesion of the team, its efficiency, and performance, and at the external level, he/she organizes cooperation with other healthcare institutions, both domestic and foreign. Business communication includes the following functions: informative and communicative (perception of information, its filtering, use in professional activities), regulatory and communicative (adjustment of the interlocutor’s behavior and regulation of own emotions and actions), affective and communicative (mutual regulation and mutual correction of behavior).

The peculiarities of business communication include:
a) regulation of official duties in accordance with the professional etiquette of a doctor, parity forms of communication between the head of a health care institution and subordinates and patients, fellow managers, time regulation in the performance of tasks;
b) adherence to the principle of responsibility for own actions and behavior of another person, demonstration of independence in making vital decisions in working with patients;
c) possession of speech culture as the ability to speak Ukrainian and foreign languages, to effectively use language tools in communication;
d) taking into account the subordination in the relationship of the head of the health care institution with senior management, subordinates, patients and their families [4].

It should be noted that the idea of implementing partnership relations in the team is prevented by corrupt actions of officials and the detection of dishonesty in industrial relations. This can be explained by the fact that in such a team, business relations are built taking into account the individual characteristics and professional talent of each participant, work issues are openly discussed, work results are encouraged and recognized, and a friendly atmosphere is felt.

List of references

1. Code of Ethics for Physicians. URL: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/rada/show/n0001748-09#Text (accessed on September 10, 2022).
2. Grechanyk O.E., Hryhorash V.V. Formation of teacher’s acmeological competence in the system of postgraduate education: monograph: Publishing group “Osnova”, 2019. Issue 9 (200). 144 p. (Library of the journal “School Management”).
3. Palekha Y. Ethics of business relations: a textbook. Kyiv : Condor, 2007. 359 с.
4. Prokopovych E.M., Horachuk V.V. Curriculum of the discipline “Psychology of Management in Medicine” (for bachelors, specialists). Kyiv: IAPM, 2005. 16 с.
5. Chernovol-Tkachenko R. I. Technique of managerial activity. Kharkiv: Osnova, 2013. 304 p. (Series “Alphabet of the Manager”).