A HEALTHCARE WORKER QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE: Mandatory Reporting Requirements

1. A HEALTHCARE WORKERQUICK REFERENCE GUIDE: Mandatory Reporting Requirements

3. Project Development Why? During 2008 the need was identified and proposed as a state-wide performance improvement project for 2009 through the Florida Society for Healthcare Security, Safety, and Emergency Management Professionals. There was a need for a concise source of mandatory reporting requirements and the law enforcement requirements set forth by Florida statute.

4. Project Development Why? This guide was established to help healthcare workers understand the various mandatory reporting requirements set for by Florida statute as related to: abuse; neglect or exploitation of adults or children; mandatory reporting of injuries of a potential criminal matter; and, the abandoning a newborn infant.

5. Project Development Applicable Florida statutes were reviewed and the following areas were identified: Requirements for abuse, neglect, exploitation of adults and children; Injuries presenting that may note a potential criminal matter; and, Newborn infant abandonment.

6. Definitions Since there are varying degrees of expertise and understanding regarding these statutes, a section was added to define specific terms and assist clinical care givers in assessing a specific situation.

7. References The specific applicable Florida statute is cited to assist the clinical care giver in accessing the full statute The statute is available at: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0039/part02.htm&StatuteYear=2009&Title=-%3E2009-%3EChapter%2039-%3EPart%20II

8. Sexual Assault Why wasn’t sexual assault (e.g., rape) added for adult patients only? Because the hospital or its employee is not the victim and does not have “standing” to report this crime; however, the hospital may encourage reporting. Sexual assault for minors is covered via abuse, neglect, exploitation of children

9. Project Review The project documents were reviewed by Case Managers, emergency physicians and nursing management, state attorney’s office (18th Judicial Circuit), and others.

10. Local Health Department There is a separate and distinct mandatory reporting requirements for the local health department and this was not included in this project.

11. The Joint Commission This also satisfies Joint Commission accreditation requirements: Standard RI.01.06.03 - The patient has the right to be free from neglect; exploitation; and verbal, mental, physical, and sexual abuse (there are three EPs).

12. The results A poster A pocket guide