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Induction - Professional Boundaries
Crossing professional boundaries is the most common reason for us to engage the employment disciplinary process with our support workers. Crossing boundaries can impact on yourself, your colleagues and the client and can create potentially dangerous situations from something that appears well-meant and harmless. Because of this we spend a lot of time educating staff so that they have the knowledge to avoid this downfall.
You can find information in the employee handbook and the professional boundaries policy both are located on the staffroom website "www.apexcarenz.com".
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Which of the following statements about professional boundaries is true?
Maintaining boundaries ensures a professional's ability to make good judgment calls and decisions.
Maintaining boundaries benefits employees and clients in the long-term.
Professional boundaries can get confusing in fields that are based on relationships.
Professional boundaries need to be monitored and reflected on regularly
All of the above
You are walking down the street and see a client you worked with in the past walking towards you with a friend.
Do you:
Ignore them
Make eye contact and see what they want to do
Nod a brief hello to them
Stop, greet them and chat with them
The person you are supporting is allowed to go to a friends house and wants your phone number to let you know when they are ready for pick up.
Do You?
Give them your personal number but tell them it is a one off and not to use again
Tell them to call the Apex office 0800 number when ready
Tell them your phone is broken
A client asks about your family
Do you?
Show them photos and talk about your family
Tell them its none of their business
Acknowledge your situation without giving too much information away
Have a moan about your partner/lack of partner
A client says they no longer want you to support them without giving a reason
How do you feel?
Sad
Annoyed
Disappointed
Angry
Feel neutral and understand it is their choice
A client tells you that you really “get” them, that no-one else understands them, and that they think you are a cool person.
Thank them and say that they are a special person too
Act pleased but modest
Explain that you are just doing your job and that is what we are all here for
Tell them to stop being soft
Give them a hug
Professional Boundaries Include
Understanding the limits of your knowledge and not working beyond them
Making decisions, choosing activities or managing behaviour because it is in your clients best interest not yours
Not entering into a personal friendship or relationship with someone you work with
Keeping your personal and professional details private.
Having a large personal space bubble and avoiding touch
All of the above
What is and isnt OK?
This is ok
This is NOT ok
Not sure
Giving my phone number to the family of the person I am supporting so that we can make contact as required?
Sharing personal stories about your experiences with mental health or how your family is?
Knowing that others are just as capable to support the tangata as you are?
Sitting on the tangata's bed and talking to them?
Connecting or talking over social media?
Talking about other staff with the person you're supporting?
Contacting staff to check in on how the tangata is going when you aren't there
Reading the notes when you aren't due back to support the person for some time?
Taking the tangata to your personal home so that you can pick up something you forgot?
Having a family member or friend come to the motel that you are providing support in to visit?
Understanding that each staff member brings something different and being liked isn't necessary to be affective