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I work with kids now in a locked residential psychiatric treatment facility.
We have contact logs for each kid. If the person or number isn't in the log, the call isn't placed. Simple. I've been working here for a bit over 18 months and never had an issue.
Recently, a youth I trusted (probably can see where this is going), asked me to call a cousin of hers. Now, this cousin IS in their contact log. I've called this person for this kid before. I pick up the phone, the contact log is a couple steps away from me. There was another youth standing between me and that contact log. I went to get it and the kid I was making the call for said, "I'll just tell you the number."
I had trusted this particular youth. They were the BIGGEST advocate for not taking advantage of staff!
The phone starts to ring and the kid tells me I have to ask for <insert name that is NOT on the log>. Puzzled, at this point, I went to grab the log to see if this name was on there...in the meantime, someone answers. I ask if it's this unfamiliar name, identify myself and the organization, tell this man I have <insert female youth's name here>....he takes the call.
I then grab the log, see this person is not on the list, and immediately tell the kid to get off the phone. However, she's not listening. Another nearby kid disconnects the call. Turns out, it was an ex-boyfriend of this kid.
I was LIVID! I didn't know who I was more upset with - myself or the youth. I could not believe I had been taken like that. Especially by a kid who is an advocate of NOT taking advantage of staff!
She didn't want me to tell my managers but I had to, of course! I just violated HIPPA laws by making that call. It was a HUGE mistake! It would be an even bigger mistake if I DIDN'T tell my bosses.
I ended up receiving an "observation" regarding the incident. Basically, it's just a written record of the incident taking place. My supervisor was fairly cool about it.
Each shift gets a report on the happenings of the previous shift. This incident took place on an evening shift, I happened to be back on for the next morning shift. So, when it was reported that a "staff" was manipulated by this youth, my coworkers kind of looked surprised, like "who could've done THAT?!" I spoke up and said, "My bad!". They laughed.
*sigh* lesson learned.
We have contact logs for each kid. If the person or number isn't in the log, the call isn't placed. Simple. I've been working here for a bit over 18 months and never had an issue.
Recently, a youth I trusted (probably can see where this is going), asked me to call a cousin of hers. Now, this cousin IS in their contact log. I've called this person for this kid before. I pick up the phone, the contact log is a couple steps away from me. There was another youth standing between me and that contact log. I went to get it and the kid I was making the call for said, "I'll just tell you the number."
I had trusted this particular youth. They were the BIGGEST advocate for not taking advantage of staff!
The phone starts to ring and the kid tells me I have to ask for <insert name that is NOT on the log>. Puzzled, at this point, I went to grab the log to see if this name was on there...in the meantime, someone answers. I ask if it's this unfamiliar name, identify myself and the organization, tell this man I have <insert female youth's name here>....he takes the call.
I then grab the log, see this person is not on the list, and immediately tell the kid to get off the phone. However, she's not listening. Another nearby kid disconnects the call. Turns out, it was an ex-boyfriend of this kid.
I was LIVID! I didn't know who I was more upset with - myself or the youth. I could not believe I had been taken like that. Especially by a kid who is an advocate of NOT taking advantage of staff!
She didn't want me to tell my managers but I had to, of course! I just violated HIPPA laws by making that call. It was a HUGE mistake! It would be an even bigger mistake if I DIDN'T tell my bosses.
I ended up receiving an "observation" regarding the incident. Basically, it's just a written record of the incident taking place. My supervisor was fairly cool about it.
Each shift gets a report on the happenings of the previous shift. This incident took place on an evening shift, I happened to be back on for the next morning shift. So, when it was reported that a "staff" was manipulated by this youth, my coworkers kind of looked surprised, like "who could've done THAT?!" I spoke up and said, "My bad!". They laughed.
*sigh* lesson learned.
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