Accountability is one of the values that healthcare professionals in the United States are expected to uphold. This value is intended to insulate patients and other recipients of the services offered by the professionals against harm. As part of the efforts to promote accountability, the professionals are required to report any violations of guidelines and relevant laws that they witness. This is the essence of mandatory reporting. Basically, as mandatory reporters, healthcare practitioners need to alert relevant authorities when they observe issues that require further attention and investigation (Atkinson, Curnin & Hanson, 2016). For example, a nurse working with children is mandated to report any cases of abuse that they handle.
As mandatory reporters, healthcare professionals are required to perform a number of responsibilities. The responsibilities vary depending on the population that the professionals serve. For practitioners who work with children, the key responsibility is to file reports when they suspect that a child is the victim of abuse (“What are a Mandated”, n.d). It is important to note that in such cases, the practitioner is not required to conduct any investigation. When they have cause to think that the child has suffered abuse, they simply need to notify the relevant authorities. Practitioners dealing with other population groups share this responsibility. For example, a nurse treating commercial sex workers would need to notify the police if they suspect that some of their patients are victims of sex trafficking.
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As noted above, the responsibility of mandated reporters is to notify authorities when they feel that violations have occurred. The reports that medical practitioners file usually involve cases of abuse. For example, a nurse attending to children may report the case of a child who has been neglected. The cases are usually reported to authorities that are responsible for the particular case. For example, cases of children who have suffered abuse and neglect should be filed with the Child Services. In my work as a healthcare professional, there have been instances where I have had to file a report. Now that I have gained a deeper understanding of mandatory reporting, I would conduct the reporting differently. Previously, my reporting was guided by the mere need to fulfill my obligation. Thanks to this course, I understand that I should prioritize the needs of the patient whose case I am reporting.
References
Atkinson, H. G., Curnin, K. J., & Hanson, N. C. (2016). U.S. state laws addressing human Trafficking: education of and mandatory reporting by health care providers and other Professionals. Journal of Human Trafficking, 2 (2), 111-138.
What are a mandated reporters responsibilities? (n.d). PA Family Support Alliance. Retrieved August 9, 2018 from http://www.pa-fsa.org/MandatedReporters/Understanding-Mandated-Reporting/What-are-a-Mandated-Reporters-Responsibilities
