Tips from the field: Homecare workers suggest ways to ensure safety

CrossCurrents

“I always have the cell phone on me, and turned on, and am aware of its location. I check out with the secretary at the end of the day. There is a protocol in place if we haven’t checked out.”
(Shannon Welsh, Registered Nurse, Sudbury, Ontario)
“Do not touch an aggressive client or sit on his or her bed. Give wide personal space. Do not lose your temper. Wear sensible clothes and running shoes, and nothing around your neck.”
(Linda Todd, Registered Nurse, Sudbury, Ontario)
“My personal strategy for increasing my safety is to trust my gut. If I think something is wrong and my safety is compromised, I get out of the situation and re-evaluate.”
(Patricia Spencer, Social Worker, Somerville, New Jersey)
“If we feel uncomfortable with the idea of going into the home after doing a drive-by, we have the option of canceling the visit and rescheduling it with more than one worker if needed. We sometimes set up appointments in a public space, such as a meeting room at a hospital or clinic. If going into a situation that raises any flags, we may arrange to get one of the other staff to give us a call at a certain time.”
(Anita McNeil, Occupational Therapist, Winnipeg, Manitoba)
“Tell others where you are. Say ‘I’m going into this house. Call the police if I’m not out in 20 minutes.’ Don’t do calls alone. Don’t get so caught up in the interview that you are not aware of the environment. Ask the client to step outside or meet you in a coffee shop. Make sure you and the client have equal access to the door so that nobody is boxed in.”
(Nancy Panagabko, Mental Health Nurse, Victoria, British Columbia)
“Know the risky environments. Know, for example, that they deal crack on the seventh floor. Go around corners wide, and stand back from doorways. If somebody says, ‘All of a sudden he was right in front of me,’ then it’s about lack of awareness of the environment.”
(Greg Samuelson, Mental Health Nurse, Toronto, Ontario)