Mandatory Reporting: Abuse, Neglect and Communicable Disease

Mandatory reporting is a legal duty, not merely a recommendation to refer a concern. The nurse does not need certainty, a confession, or a completed investigation. In Ontario, reasonable suspicion is enough to trigger the duty to report. The distinction matters because the nurse and the investigating authority have different jobs. The nurse recognizes a concerning pattern, protects the patient, records what was observed, and transmits the concern. The child protection or adult protection authority determines what happened and what further investigation is required. For children, registered nurses, RPNs, and LPNs in Ontario must immediately report suspected abuse, neglect, or exposure to family violence to a child protection authority under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017. A child does not need to have a visible injury for exposure to family violence to warrant a report. Suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult, such as an older adult, is reported to the appropriate adult protection authority under the Adult Protection Act, 2006. The concern may involve physical harm, failure to provide essential care, or misuse of the...