Which intervention would be most therapeutic as a nurse cares for ...

[FButt]

Which intervention would be most therapeutic as a nurse cares for a victim of partner abuse?
 
  a. Validate the truthfulness of the victim's comments.
  b. Avoid pressuring the victim or disparaging the abuser.
  c. Acknowledge the victim's inability to change the situation.
  d. Encourage the partner to stay with the victim during an interview.

Question 2

A woman who has been repeatedly abused by her partner comes to the emergency department with severe contusions. She tells the nurse, He almost killed me this time. I guess I should do something. What is the nurse's priority intervention?
 
  a. Document the woman's injuries.
  b. Help the patient devise a safety or escape plan.
  c. Encourage the patient to take independent action.
  d. Provide referrals contingent on the patient leaving the abuser.

[tkempin]

Answer to Question 1

B
Nurses should never pressure a victim to leave the abuser. The patient must make the decision without coercion. Leaving is dangerous, because it escalates the violence and might result in death. Neither should the nurse disparage the perpetrator. The victim still cares about the batterer. The nurse should ask directly about abuse. The nurse should not suggest that the individual is unable to take constructive action. The patient should have a safe environment, without the abuser, to discuss the events. The nurse should not question the truthfulness of the victim's complaints.

Answer to Question 2

B
Individuals who are victims of partner abuse should have an escape plan. This is of high priority when the victim's life is endangered. Encouraging the victim to take independent action is of less help than offering concrete assistance such as providing referrals and giving emergency phone numbers. Referrals should never be contingent on leaving, which might be possible only after the victim has made use of the referral and has assistance in place. Documentation is important, but not the nurse's first action.

[FButt]

TYSM

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