Critical Thinking: A crisis intervention nurse is training ...

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Critical Thinking: A crisis intervention nurse is training emergency department staff on treatment needs of persons in abusive relationships. What is a common difficulty staff encounter when caring for this population?
 
  a. There is not a good legal pathway to help persons in abusive relationships.
  b. The abused person may return to the abusive home setting.
  c. Hospital policies do not identify the legal care needed for abused persons.
  d. Because length of care is short in the emergency department, there is little staff can do for patients who have been abused.

Question 2

The nurse working at a women's health clinic is seeing a teenage female patient who has come in for a refill on her birth control medication and with a complaint of abdominal pain.
 
  When the nurse enters the room, the patient is sitting in the chair with her head down, rocking back and forth, does not make eye contact, and answers questions with no expression on her face. What assessment question would be important for the nurse to ask the patient?
  a. What brings you to the clinic today?
  b. What can we do to help you today?
  c. Do you feel safe in your current relationship?
  d. Have you changed your diet lately?

[firehawk60]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Abused persons return to abusive settings because they feel they have no other options or they fear reprisal from the abusive partner. There are policies in all health care facilities that describe the legal needs and the legal process that needs to be followed when caring for abused patients. Even in short-stay care settings there are interventions that can be helpful to a patient who has experienced abuse.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
This patient is exhibiting signs of being abused. It is important to ask about the safety of the patient. General questions about her visit do not give an opportunity for the patient to discuss her safety needs. While a diet change can cause stomach problems, this assessment would be addressed once safety is addressed.

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[coreycathey]

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