Well done, you made the correct decision.
Here are some points that you need to consider. You should have included some of these in your reflective activity:
- You have made the correct decision, which is to contact your manager and explain what has happened.
- You are now showing that you know it is important to communicate in an appropriate, open and straightforward way.
- Being truthful, honest and trustworthy is one of the ways social service workers create and maintain the trust and confidence of people who use services and carers.
- However, you made a mistake earlier when you passed responsibility for taking action onto Dave. This was not the right thing to do. Something as simple as a change to the staff rota resulted in Bill being put at risk of harm.
- Choking will affect Bill’s breathing. Immediate action was required to ensure the choking incident was recorded and reported. This would have helped to prevent it happening again.
- You must protect service users from danger and harm, and never put anyone at unnecessary risk. Had you taken the correct action sooner, you could have prevented Bill from having another choking incident.
- It is essential to maintain clear, accurate and up-to-date records in line with procedures relating to your work.
- Bill’s dietician and doctors need as much information as possible to help with diagnosis and to create an updated care plan.
- You remain responsible for work that you have delegated to others.
- You need to ensure you meet relevant standards of practice and work in a lawful, safe and effective way.
- You must recognise and use responsibly the power and authority you have when working with people who use services and carers.
- You are now showing that you know and follow some of the SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers. But you should revisit these codes and make sure that you really understand them.
- If you had not taken the correct action in this situation, it could have called into question your suitability to be a social services worker.
- Failure to take the right action would have placed Bill at risk of further serious harm.
When Bill said he had choked on food the previous night and you saw it had not been recorded and reported, the correct action to take was to write an incident report, update the communication book, and make a note asking for a referral for a dietician and for a new risk assessment. You should then have contacted a manager to explain your actions. Click here to find out why this was the correct option.
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