CDA Essentials 2018 • Volume 6 • Issue 1

26 | 2019 | Issue 1 I ssues and P eople person. To answer your question, the safety plan will depend on these different factors: her readiness to act, how violent the relationship is, and whether children are present. Barb: One thing I would add is that the safety plan should start with a risk assessment and shelter workers are able to do that. S hould any specific documentation be made in the employee file or patient chart? Barb: My opinion is that it’s very important to document something in the patient chart that makes it clear that the ex-boyfriend poses a potential threat to a staff person in the practice. Details should be kept to a minimum, but my fear is that someone new or unaware of the situation might book him for an appointment because they are unaware of the risks. If that were to happen, the employer could be liable for not meeting their obligations under OHS legislation for ensuring the safety of all workers. I would not include documentation in the employee’s human resources file, which would risk linking the situation to performance or the perception that it’s linked to performance. It is a health and safety problem, not a performance problem and therefore I would suggest keeping a separate file and restricting access to that file to those who need to know about the situation in order to ensure safety. Nadine: The documentation in the patient chart should be clear, neutral and non-judgmental. Label the observed behaviours and provide direct quotes, as appropriate, but do not speculate. For example, note in the chart: “The person indicated they were there to check on their partner, and said ‘She has to tell me when she leaves for work and she didn’t,’” but don’t note “Suspected domestic violence perpetrator.” Inna: Health and safety legislation in some provinces require employers to investigate when a complaint of workplace harassment is made by an employee. As a result, the dentist may have to investigate Janine’s allegations of harassment by her former boyfriend. The investigation will produce documentation which the dentist will keep in the investigation file, including Janine’s complaint, witness statements, and a report of the findings. I would not recommend including in Janine’s employee file the allegations or any other documentation from the report. H ow can a dentist manage their personal and professional involvement in this situation? Inna: As the employer, the dentist has a number of obligations with respect to the situation and must fulfill those obligations as required. Ultimately, the dentist will be able to manage his or her clinic more smoothly and efficiently if all employees are feeling safe at work, and if workplace harassment and workplace violence policies are respected and followed. Barb: I think the first thing to remember is that it’s not your role to be a counsellor or therapist. Your role is to connect Janine to supportive resources, whether that’s the women’s shelter or another service, depending on the resources available in your community. Nadine: As employers, dentists should ground their interactions in compassionate and nonjudgmental care and recognize their professional and legal obligation to provide a safe workplace. a • Healthy Workplace Series • Additional Resources OntarioMinistry of Labour labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/topics/ workplaceviolence.php This website helps employers and employees in Ontario understand the law on workplace violence andworkplace harassment. Dentists in other parts of the country can consult their provincial/territorial Ministry of Labour website. Make It Our Business makeitourbusiness.ca Make It Our Business is the educational programof the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children. The website provides information for professionals and the public on preventing and responding to domestic violence in the workplace, including the brochures “Recognize and respond to domestic violence in your workplace,” and “I need safety and support at work.” hotpeachpages.net Provides domestic violence information and an international directory of agencies in over 110 languages.