It is 24 September 2018 at 1100. You are still a support worker in an aged care

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Question:

It is 24 September 2018 at 1100. You are still a support worker in an aged care residential facility.

You have completed your written documentation (Riskman form) following an incident with a client Mr Bob Crane . You have given it to your supervisor and attended the organisation's clinician. The clinician has examined you and advised you to go home and rest, elevate your arm for the rest of the day, and take over the counter pain medication as needed. He has written a Sick Leave Certificate for today and tomorrow, and you are cleared to go back to work on the 26th September 2018 unless you experience complications from the minor injury.

You are now at home

(Previous Mr Bob Crane scenario required from scenario 1a to complete scenario 1b)

Scenario: 1b

It is 24 September 2018 at 1000. You are a support worker in an aged care residential facility. After morning tea has been served, you are with a 70-year-old client named Bob Crane who has dementia. You are doing some exercises with him that the supervisor has asked you to practice with him. You have had a little training in "Range of Motion" exercises from the site physiotherapist but feel you should have more. You are in Bob's room alone with him. You have shut the door whilst Bob exercises to protect his privacy and dignity. The nurse call system has been broken for the last 2 days while awaiting repair.

He appears to be enjoying the activity. He is smiling and talking to you about the exercises.

Then he notices his tea mug which has been accidentally filled with hot coffee for morning tea. The beverage has been served to him in his room. The mug is on his night table by his bed. Bob is documented as disliking coffee.

He grabs it. He becomes fixated on it and starts violently shaking his head. Before you can take any action to calm him, he begins to scream. He throws his body around. He drops the mug which shatters on the floor, spilling the coffee on the linoleum surfaced floor creating a puddle of liquid. He lunges repeatedly at you and slaps you on the left forearm

a. Describe how you would feel about the situation. In particular, reflect on your level of stress and fatigue in relation to your physical, emotional, and psychological state.

b. To whom would you report your level of stress and fatigue if it would or was affecting your work?

Scenario: 2

It is 26 September 2018 at 1500. You have returned to work and your arm injury has resolved and you have only slight residual discomfort from the injury. Your shift has ended. It was quite busy because you had to change several residents experiencing incontinence that they normally do not have. The RN supervisor, Carol Hathaway, has asked to meet with you to debrief the incident which occurred with Mr. Bob Crane on the 24th September 2015.

The debriefing is not punishment. It is an opportunity for you to discuss how you are feeling towards Mr. Bob Crane, the incident which occurred, the organisation's response to the incident, and more importantly if the incident will adversely affect your performance in care work.

(Please answer the questions as if you were participating in an actual debriefing with Carol, your supervisor.)

a. "How are you feeling today? Was your shift OK?" Carol asks.

b. "I made sure you didn't have to work with Bob (Crane) today, but how would you feel about working with him tomorrow?" Carol asks.

c. "I'll need your help with a couple of things. For instance, do you think there are any OSH related issues which were brought out by the incident?" asks Carol.

d. "That's interesting you say those things," says Carol. "Apart from me, who else do you think we should involve in sorting these things out?"