Describe Unsafe Practices That May Affect the Well-Being of Individuals in the Level 2 Diploma 

Unsafe practices are actions or behaviours that put the safety and well-being of employees, employers, and patients in a care setting at risk. Such activities can include ignoring safety policies and procedures, misusing care equipment, and failing to follow care protocols in an organisation. For instance, repositioning an individual in a social care setting without informed consent and proper techniques may lead to physical injury and compromise their dignity and respect.

Such workplace hazards can cause fatal accidents and cause lifetime injuries to older people and even adults. It is important to describe unsafe practices that may affect the well-being of individuals, as explored in BHA-FPX 4102: Cultural Competence in Care.

How To Identify Unsafe Practices in Social Care Settings

Risk Assessment: 

The first step in managing unsafe work practices is to identify the problem without bias or personal interest. During your initial assessment of the hazard search, answer for the questions:

• Who was in question?
• When did this occur? 
• What caused it?
• What are the possible hazards or consequences?

Also, collect the evidence like logbooks, photos, videos, and witness statements as much as you can. Now, start documenting your findings in the form of a report, similar to the structure used in historical analysis assignments like FPX-1150.  A well-documented report strengthens your ability to protect the well-being of everyone involved.

You should also analyze the broader and long-term effects of unsafe practices may have on the health and safety of employees, employers, and patients.

 It is essential to understand how to identify unsafe practices that can cause harm to the members of staff and patients.

Follow Your Organizational Reporting Procedures:

Once you have completed the assessment, it’s time to report the suspected abuse or unsafe practices. This may involve reporting the matter to the manager of your department, a health officer, or the HR department of your organization.

Make sure you follow your organizational policies and procedures while reporting the unsafe practices in the care setting. If your report is in written format, make sure to include all relevant details and supporting evidence. Always retain a personal copy of your report and note any action to take if unsafe practices have been identified.

Escalate When Necessary:

If you think that your concern has gone unnoticed in the eyes of your departmental authorities, then it’s your right to escalate the issue of unsafe practices. This could mean you can contact external bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK, or relevant local authorities if you’re outside the UK. You might also raise your concerns to a trade union or, health and safety association. This is called the whistleblowing hotline.

When reporting unsafe practices in health and social care settings, it is important to follow the policies for reporting.  Remember to present your case in a well-documented report that should be supported by evidence on various unsafe practices in your organization.

Prioritise Your Safety and Professional Conduct:

While reporting any unsafe practice, you feel unsafe or targeted, seek advice from the HR department or an external security body in your area.   Remember, workplace safety laws protect your right to report without facing retaliation.

Avoid participating in unsafe activities that put your safety and the safety of the other staff members at risk. You should continue to adhere to best practices, even if others do not. If you feel unsafe or targeted after reporting a concern, seek advice from a senior manager or an external support agency for your protection. Your courage in speaking up against unsafe working practices that harm the safety of individuals could protect others from serious harm.

Reflect and Build Awareness

After you have identified the unsafe practices that jeopardise the safety of workers and service users, it’s time to make everyone around you aware of the correct health and safety policies. Whether you’re building awareness around care standards or controversial topics like those in a death penalty thesis statement, presenting arguments with evidence and clarity is key to sparking constructive dialogue. Always make sure that you and the staff are kept safe from the risk of abuse. Identify the areas for improvement in existing policies and procedures so that unsafe practices cannot prevail in the organisation in the future. 

What are Some Examples of Unsafe Practices in The Care sector?

• If someone doesn’t administer an individual’s prescribed medication as scheduled, leading to health deterioration is a violation of care standards.
  
  
• If an individual has been denied access to his own personal finances or belongings is described as unsafe practices related to financial abuse that undermines the autonomy of the individual.
  
  
• If a care professional is skipping or not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment during care activities, it increases the risk of cross-contamination and infection in and can cause the spread of fatal diseases in the individuals.
  
  
• Interrupting or restricting a person’s use of mobility aids like walking frames can cause imbalance, increase fall risk, and reduce independence.
  
  
• Using manual handling equipment, for repositioning an individual such as a sling, that doesn’t match his needs can cause discomfort or long-term physical disability.
  
  
• Disclosing or mishandling private information about an individual breaches confidentiality and undermines trust in care services.
  
  
• Confining someone to a room without proper authority or consent is considered unlawful restraint and can lead to emotional distress.
  
  
• Continuing to use or failing to report damaged care equipment may result in accidents or reduced quality of care delivery.
  
  
• Lack of proper monitoring or supervision, especially for those with cognitive impairments or mobility issues, increases risk of injury or neglect.
  
  
• If the care worker ignores the dietitian’s instructions, such as not adding required nutritional supplements, that can compromise the individual’s physical health.
  
  
• Ineffective or inadequate staff training can foster a work environment where unsafe care practices go unchecked on routine days.

Explain The Actions To Take If I notice Unsafe Work Activities In Care Centre

If you notice unsafe practices affecting the safety and wellbeing of the individuals receiving care, it’s important to act without delay.  Never participate in tasks you believe to be unsafe for yourself and the people around you. To ensure the safety of individuals from unsafe practices, seek a compliant alternative according to the rules of your organization.. 

However, if you are unable to address the situation yourself or if colleagues have dismissed your safety concerns, then take the issue to the manager in line or the designated safeguarding officer.

If you are working in the health sector, then it is your duty of care to ensure that health and safety procedures are being followed, as emphasized in NURS-FPX 6105: Patient Safety and Outcomes and that poor manual handling of safety equipment is avoided by the carer.

If unsafe practices have been identified, the next step is to explain in detail the abuse in a report following your organisation’s agreed protocols and reporting procedures.

In any situation where you have reported your concerns but the authorities haven’t taken any corrective action, it is your professional responsibility to escalate the matter o the regulatory bodies outside.

Depending on the severity of your concern, you can contact external authorities such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Local Authority Safeguarding Team, or even the police.

Some care workers also worry about threats from the suspect of the abuse, but remember that in the United Kingdom, you are protected under the whistleblowing policy of your organization.

The policy is a guarantee that you will be secure from retaliation by the suspect even if you raise your concerns to the authorities. As part of your duty of care, it’s crucial that you follow up on reported incidents to ensure they are appropriately resolved and do not place individuals at ongoing risk.