Hello,
My name is Barbara Earl and I work with a group of citizens that have developmental disabilities here in Oklahoma. As everyone in our field knows, there are many rules, regulations and guidelines that must be followed when working in this field.
As caregivers we are somewhat vulnerable when it comes to the interpretation of these very important rules, regulations, and guidelines.
It is possible that even the most innocent of situations can be misinterpreted as abuse. It is also possible that even our clients themselves can make a statement that is misunderstood or simply not true that can lead to an abuse investigation.
As a caregiver I have found that it is important to not only protect the rights of my clients but also to protect my own rights. I personally have never had to endure the trauma of an abuse investigation but I have seen co-workers who have suffered greatly due to false accusations. I have of course seen justice prevail when the accusations were true and that is why I believe that EVERY abuse accusation should be investigated.
I believe as caregivers we MUST protect ourselves. If you are a caregiver and the agency or company that you work for does not offer a legal plan for the employees please contact me at : [email protected]