2006 Field Safety

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Aging Services
Public Guardianship for Adults Manual

Chapter:

2000 Program Operations

Effective Date:

03/01/2022

Section Title:

Field Safety

Reviewed or Updated in:

MT 2022-01

Section Number:

2006

Previous Update:

MT 2019-02

Summary Statement

The purpose of this policy is to provide Public Guardianship Office (PGO) staff with field safety guidelines.

Basic Considerations

Worker safety is of paramount importance. Staff who feel unsafe or threatened at any field location should leave immediately and then notify their supervisor.

Procedures

The following suggestions are recommended for PGO staff when making visits in the community. Above all, awareness of one’s surroundings is a key component to remaining safe.

Any Visit

For any visit:

  • READ: If unfamiliar with the client, look at the client’s case record for information on any past threatening or violent incidents.

  • COMMUNICATE: Let the supervisor know the schedule for the day or check in at predetermined times with the supervisor. Send a “check out” email or text to the supervisor after the last site or home visit.

  • DRESS APPROPRIATELY: Be aware of clothing or accessories that may be grabbed, such as scarves or necklaces. Avoid shoes that might be difficult to move quickly in, like high heel shoes. Avoid wearing expensive jewelry or carrying other expensive items.

  • BE UNENCUMBERED: Carry only those items necessary for the visit. Leave bags or purses locked out of sight in the car.

Home Visit

Home visit – client lives alone or with family or friends.

Approaching the home:

  • At the first visit to the home, drive around the block to locate a safe place to park.

  • If the only place to park is the driveway, back into the space.

  • If possible, park with the driver’s side door facing the home for easy access.

  • Be on the lookout for pets.

  • After knocking on the door or ringing the bell, stand to the side of the door.

In the home:

  • A cell phone should be accessible at all times. Never hesitate to call 911 for any emergency or danger.

  • Try to stay within sight of the door, with a clear path to the door.

  • Be aware of seating. A hard chair may allow for a quicker exit. Upholstery fabrics may be soiled or have insect infestations.

  • Ask if there are any other people in the home.

  • If the person answering the door is unknown, leave if that person appears to be a safety risk.

  • Do not eat or drink anything offered by the client.

  • Do not pet any animals in or around the home.

  • If the client begins to get agitated, leave. Get in the car and drive away immediately with the doors locked; do not sit and make calls or program navigation devices until a more populated area is reached, such as a parking lot or main street.

Facility Visit

In a facility (nursing home, hospital, care home):

  • Wash hands before and after the visit and/or keep hand sanitizer to use before and after visits.

  • Do not provide physical assistance to the client or any other resident of the facility. To view a wound or other part of the client’s body to monitor care, ask facility staff to pull back bed linens or reposition the client.

  • Before entering the client’s room, check the door for special instructions, such as protective gear that must be worn in the room. If protective gear must be worn make sure to follow the instructions. Take as little as possible into the room; leave bags, coats, etc., locked out of sight in the car. If a client has a communicable disease or condition, discuss with the client’s health care provider protections necessary to avoid transmission, such as wearing gloves, not touching surfaces, etc.

  • If at a facility or program where there are other residents or participants, such as a day program, take notice of approaching residents. If necessary, ask the facility or program to allow the visit with the client in an area that has fewer residents or participants.

  • If another resident becomes aggressive or violent, get to a safe area or leave.

  • If contact with bodily fluids occurs, immediately report the incident to the person in charge and follow the facility protocol for the incident for cleaning and sanitizing.

Other Tips

  • Do not make any client visits after dark.

  • Discuss with the supervisor any visit that may pose a risk to your safety. Do not conduct the visit until measures are taken to make the visit safe. Examples of safety measures include having two staff on the visit or arranging for members of the client’s mental health care team to be present for the visit.

  • Always wear the State identification badge.

  • Keep the State car insurance card in your car.

  • Give the supervisor the make, model and license number of the car used for field visits.

  • Do not transport clients in personal vehicles.

  • Do not move items for clients, such as furniture or medical equipment in personal vehicles.

Reporting

PGO staff must report to supervisors and document in the case record certain risks and threatening experiences.

What Must Be Reported

The following experiences must be reported and documented within 24 hours of the incident:

  • A client is violent or grabs at staff or staff’s belongings.

  • A client threatens to do harm or harms staff or another person.

  • A client has an unrestrained pet in the home or yard.

  • A person, including other residents or participants at the client’s home or facility, was violent or threatening.

  • A client restricted the exits from the site visit or attempted to block egress.

  • A client has a lethal weapon in the home.

  • A client has been diagnosed with a communicable disease or condition as listed by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) in the publication “Notifiable Disease/Condition Reporting.”

Procedure for Reporting

Staff must report to her or his supervisor the above-listed risks or experiences within 24 hours.

The staff member must document in the case record a description of the risk or experience. To do so, the staff member shall:

  • Add a note in the DAS database called, “Note Type: Staffing/Internal Consult”, with the note subtype, “Safety Issue”

  • In the “Description” text box, the staff member will write “SAFETY ISSUE”

  • The staff member will then write the information regarding the risk or experience in the “Note” field

  • Set the note status to “Alert” and set the staff person’s supervisor as a recipient of the alert

The supervisor must discuss safety measures with the staff member for future visits, consulting with the State Office, if needed.

If the case is transferred to another worker, the staff member from whom the case is reassigned must alert the new worker that the case being transferred has noted “Safety Issues.” The new worker must review the issues and discuss and plan for safe visits with the supervisor.

Reassignment of Case

No supervisor may reassign a case in the DAS database until verifying that safety planning has occurred.

Threats Made Against Others

Threats directed at others may require telling the person at whom the threat was directed. Staff members and their supervisors must seek assistance from PGO management. Discuss how and when the threat was made, the person at whom the threat was directed, and what to report to the person who was threatened.

Injury or Exposure to Disease

If a PGO staff member is injured or harmed during a visit, the staff member must follow the DHS Office of Human Resources policies on injuries and worker’s compensation.

References

National Association of Social Workers Guidelines for Social Worker Safety in the Workplace, 2013; National Guardianship Association Standards of Practice, Fourth Edition, 2013.