A behaviour is something we do or the way we act - an observable, measurable action.
In the context of healthcare, behaviours are the actions performed by healthcare professionals (HCPs) when delivering healthcare to their patients. Areas of work where behaviours can be observed include:
These activities include a range of collaborative, communicative, empathetic and respectful behaviours. HCP behaviours affect all aspects of healthcare and could be as innate as washing your hands to prevent infection to something more acquired, such as attending a healthcare review.
For more information on HCP behaviours and how to define them, please read Healthcare professional behaviour: health impact, prevalence of evidence-based behaviours, correlates and interventions.
Below is a short quiz to test your understanding of what a behaviour is. Click on the quiz when you are ready to start.