Could your clinical notes help or harm a patient experiencing DFV?

When a patient discloses DFV, the words you write in their medical record matter.  So how can you document a DFV disclosure safely?  How do you accurately capture what a patient tells you, distinguish disclosure from observation or clinical opinion, and avoid language that may inadvertently minimise their experience? And what happens if those notes are later subpoenaed?

 Join North Queensland Women's Legal Service and Doctors Against Violence Towards Women for this practical Ask Nola webinar designed for GPs and other healthprofessionals.

 We’ll cover:

• recognising DFV and coercive control in clinical presentations;

• documenting disclosures accurately, safely and in the patient’s own words;

• language that can minimise or misrepresent DFV;

• confidentiality, privacy and information sharing;

• how medical records may be used in legal proceedings; and

• keeping patient safety at the centre of documentation and referral.
  Using realistic clinical scenarios, we'll explore how DFV may present in healthcare settings, and how trauma-informed documentation can preserve a patient's account without turning clinicians into lawyers.

 This interactive session will include practical examples and a “helpful or harmful notes?” exercise to help you put the principles into practice.