St. Leonard's Community Services

A log book is a confidential communication tool for staff only. A log book is maintained in each residential program to ensure the accurate exchange of information among staff and to provide an accounting of shift activities, client movement, phone calls, incidents (See Documenting 2-100 Incident Reports), Serious Occurrences (See Documenting 2-110 Serious Occurrence Reports) and visitors.

The log book serves as the official record for recording staff arrivals and departures at shift change.

Each residence has one log book, which is kept in the staff office. The log book is a bound book with numbered pages that are not to be removed. No blank lines are permitted and black or blue ink must be used for all entries.

When entering client names in the logbook, Peter Willis Residence identifies clients by first name and last initial and Buffalo Street Residence identifies clients by their first and last name. The first entry related to a specific client at Roy Walsh, Varency, the Youth Resource Centre and Chatham Street are entered using the client’s full legal name and for subsequent entries first name and last initial is used.

Errors are to be corrected by drawing a straight line through the entry with the corrected word(s) written either after or above the error followed by the staff’s initials. Erasers or white out are not to be used to correct errors.

It is the responsibility of staff coming on shift to review at a minimum the entries for the previous two shifts. Staff will record and initial in the log book when the review has been completed.

In order to ensure that entries are complete, accurate, legible and professional, the following practices are to be followed:

Each shift will be distinguished by noting the date, shift, name of the staff on duty and identification of the staff member in charge of the shift. A ruled line is to be placed above and below this entry.
All information shared at shift change (both verbal and written) will be acknowledged by both incoming and outgoing staff by writing changeover completed. Sources of information should include incident and/or serious occurrence reports, case notes and the shift changeover form. Buffalo Street staff record the information shared during shift change, including the number of clients currently in the residence and the information received.
Entries are to be written as they happened (chronological order), with the time recorded accurately.
Late entries are to be recorded in the following manner: L.E. in the left margin, followed by the current time then the narrative. Staff will include in the narrative, the time the entry should have been recorded.
Each entry is to be initialled and dated by the staff making the entry.
Staff are responsible for signing themselves in for shift and out when off shift, unless the staff member in charge has completed the notation on their behalf.
Once every half hour, each client must be named specifically and their whereabouts confirmed within the residence. This is done by direct observation while completing a house tour and at shift change. In addition, Buffalo Street Residence will name clients both within and outside of the residence a minimum of twice per shift.
Each time a client leaves or returns to the residence, the current number of clients in the residence is recorded in the right margin i.e. 10/11 in the residence.
The client’s participation in community escorted activities, reintegration leaves and in-house activities.

All events including, but not limited to:

Client admissions and discharges,
All movement of people in and out of the residence including clients (when known), visitors, police, staff etc.,
Significant phone calls, i.e. police, community concerns/complaints and calls to the On-Call Supervisor,
Client appointments i.e. medical or meetings (all residential programs) and outcome (Buffalo Street Residence) and telephone messages,
Client telephone check-ins which include their current location, who they are with and estimated time of return to the residence,
All prescription and non-prescription medication dispensed, additionally Buffalo Street Residence records prescription medication ordered on behalf of clients,
House meetings/group program i.e. life skills and number of clients in attendance.

All security including but not limited to:

A running account of an incident(s) and/or serious occurrence(s) and/or Enhanced Serious Occurrence/Contentious Issues(s) as they occur,
Inter-residence security calls,
Searches,
Weekly panic button tests,
Alarm panels activated or deactivated indicating which doors are by-passed. In addition, Buffalo Street Residence will name each client and their whereabouts confirmed within and outside of the residence,
House and grounds tours (clients in residence and their location and clients currently out of the residence),
Fire and safety equipment checks,
Health and Safety Inspections,
Any significant incidents or events, including the mood of the residence, behavioural interventions (Peter Willis Residence) and issues that may affect the health or safety of clients and staff are to be logged,
All security items must be signed in and out, this includes, scissors, razors, tools, etc. Staff issuing security items are responsible for ensuring that they are returned. In addition, Peter Willis Residence staff document the counts of cutlery and sharp objects,
Transfer of other security items (such as residence keys, vehicles and panic buttons) must be documented in the logbook as part of the shift changeover procedure.
The last entry of every shift must indicate that security counts have been completed. These items must be seen, counted and taken possession of by the on-coming shift i.e. 3 sets of residence keys, 2 sets of vehicle keys and 4 panic buttons. The staff members in charge of the shift (both coming on and going off) must sign to confirm security counts.

The Manager will review the logbook a minimum of twice per week.

Home

POLICY

All security including but not limited to: