1. Professional Etiquette

2. Professional Etiquette
Professional etiquette means the rules and conventions governing
correct or polite behavior in a specific professional group or
situation.
Professional etiquette is applicable in any professional setting. It
includes:
how you greet people
how you show respect to seasoned professionals
how you introduce yourself
how you network
what you wear
how you eat and drink with other professionals

3. Professional Etiquette
Attention to and practicing professional etiquette can:
 Improve the first impression you make as a nursing student
and as a nursing professional.
 Boost your confidence and credibility as well as help you
avoid embarrassment in professional settings.
 Move easily into different professional settings in the nursing
field (e.g., clinical, academic, professional association
settings, etc.)

4. Professional Etiquette
Dress and Speak Appropriately
*YOU HAVE 7 SECONDS TO MAKE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION*
The following are general parameters of professional etiquette
when it comes to how you dress in professional settings:
If you are not aware of how to dress for any environment, err on the
side of over dressed.
Dressing more formally and conservatively is considered a sign of
respect.
Ask, if you have the opportunity prior to arriving at the event, what the
standard of dress is for that event or situation.

5. Professional Etiquette
The following are general parameters of professional etiquette
when it comes to how you speak in professional settings:
Listen first, then speak. Observe how others conduct themselves and
take cues from those who are more familiar with the situation or event.
Use grammatically correct language and enunciate your words.
Speak slowly. Don’t let nervousness overcome you and speed up the
pace of your speaking, make your voice squeaky or high pitched, or
make every statement out of your mouth sound like a question.
Modulate your tone, listen to yourself and self-correct as you go.
If you speak with an accent, understand that others may not be used to
the your cadence, pitch or the syllables you accent – slow down.

6. Professional Etiquette in Clinical
Settings
You will be entering clinical settings where you will be
gaining valuable nursing experience. Professional
etiquette would dictate that you:
Respect those who work there and honor their
experiences. Ask about them. Get to know them. Ask
questions about their experiences and ask them for
feedback on how you do. Build relationships.
Remember that you are there to help them FIRST
and gain experience SECOND. Ask what is expected of
you and offer to help. Approach the experience with a
“giving” attitude, not a “getting”/WIIFM (what’s in it for me)
attitude.

7. Professional Etiquette in Clinical
Settings
 Remember that you are the lowest ranking person in the
pecking order – you must make a good impression. Dress and
speak appropriately.
 Remember that if you have suggestions or questions about how
or why something is done, ask when and where it might be
appropriate to inquire or present suggestions (do not give unsolicited
advice unless you’ve been given the opening or forum to do so).
 Show what you can do by being responsible, capable and
collaborative. Use questions to learn the why and how of things –
don’t use verbal challenges when you disagree or are not sure of
something.

8. Professional Etiquette in Clinical
Settings
 Use language that indicates that you
understand that you need to be part of the
team. Determine what the team needs and
balance that with what you need. Get clarification
or help when you don’t understand something or
are not clear on how you will get the experience
you need.
Professional etiquette is learned by example, so
keep your eyes and ears open!

9. Professional Etiquette Resources
Nursing Specific Professional Etiquette Resources
 Pagana, Kathleen D., The Nurse's Etiquette Advantage: How
Professional Etiquette Can Advance Your Nursing Career, Honor
Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (2008). Available at:
http://journals.lww.com/naqjournal/Citation/2009/04000/
 The_Nurse_s_Etiquette_Advantage,_How_Professional.16.aspxPagan
a, Kathleen D., Seven Tips to Improve Your Professional Etiquette,
Nursing Management: Volume 41, Issue 1, p. 45–48 (January 2010).
Available at: http
://journals.lww.com/nursingmanagement/Citation/2010/01000/7_tips_to_improv

10. Professional Etiquette Resources
General Professional Etiquette Resources
 Coleman, John, Professional Etiquette Guide (Harvard Business School
2009) http://www.bu.edu/law/ssi/jd/contacts/affairs/.../
professional_etiquette.pdf
 Burleson, Donald K., Business Etiquette for Professionals (2009) http://
www.dba-oracle.com/consultant_etiquette_manners.htm
 Dick, Thom, Professional Etiquette (EMS Responder 2008) http://
www.emsresponder.com/print/EMS-Magazine/Professional-
Etiquette/1$2266
 Ghosh, Paramita, Professional Etiquette
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/professional-etiquette.html
 USAID, Professional Etiquette http://www.ccfrussia.ru/?
mod=s_page&sp_id=109