Greg is a school-based occupational therapist who notices consistent bruising on a 6-year-old with developmental delays. Greg is required to do what with this information?
A) Interview the child about the bruises
B) Interview the caregivers about the bruises
C) Report suspected child abuse and neglect
D) Ask colleagues if he should report it

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A primary role of occupational therapy practitioners is in fulfilling their role as mandated health-care providers to report suspected child abuse and neglect. This is a serious legal and ethical responsibility. Procedures for reporting may vary across health-care facilities and from state to state, so the practitioners must familiarize themselves with state law and regulatory acts. Reports of child abuse and neglect should always be documented. Failure to do so would place the occupational therapy practitioners in violation of laws and the AOTA Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics (2015). In addition, given the high representation of women in the occupational therapy profession, it is statistically likely that a peer is currently or has previously experienced domestic violence (AOTA, 2017). Occupational therapy practitioners also have a responsibility beyond the care of individual clients or families in the prevention of children maltreatment and domestic violence. Other actions highlighted in Table 27-2 (WHO, 2016) are within the expertise and responsibility of occupational therapy practitioners, such as advocating for policies and laws as well as participating in and providing bystander training. A technical package provided by the NCIPC (2016) is a useful tool for the development of policy, advocacy, and programming activities.

Greg Is a School-Based Occupational Therapist Who Notices Consistent Bruising