DQ: What characteristics would lead a provider to suspect domestic violence, child abuse, or elder abuse is taking place within a family?

DQ: What characteristics would lead a provider to suspect domestic violence, child abuse, or elder abuse is taking place within a family?

The presence of bruises on the child’s body, burns, fractures, frequent hunger, poor hygiene, little or no emotions when hurt, age-inappropriate sexual behavior, stealing food, excessive friendliness to strangers, or wearing long sleeves and trousers in hot weather to hide bruises are all characteristics that would lead a provider to suspect domestic violence, child abuse, or elder abuse is taking place within a family.

The facility’s reporting procedure for these types of abuse includes providing the details of the child being abused, noting the child’s change in behavior, providing photographs of injuries, providing a description of the victim’s injuries, writing any statements from the child or any other witness, and providing any known family information/cultural practices. It is the nurse’s responsibility to recognize that some cultural beliefs may include health practices that are deemed unsafe or unhealthy by other cultures who do not share the same beliefs (Falkner, 2018). Obtaining cultural information can sometimes explain the markings on patients’ bodies that are normal in one culture but considered child or elder abuse in another.

A. Falkner (2018). Cultural Understanding Health and Wellness Across the Continuum, Grand Canyon University (Eds.). https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs429vn/health-promotion-health-and-wellness-across-the-continuum/v1.1/#/chapter/3

Responses to Dana McKay

Unfortunately, domestic violence is an all-too-common problem in today’s world. Working in an emergency room has exposed me to a wide range of forms of violence. I’ve witnessed violence against children, women, and men. There are no limits to violence. If a child is continuously being brought to the ER for falling with multiple broken arms/legs, we would call the child line. In my state, the child line is a number that we call to report suspected abuse. This organization will then contact the family after they have been discharged. We have a person on call who is trained to deal with sexual assaults for a woman or a man who has been sexually assaulted. The SANE nurse would be here. This nurse has been trained to collect specimens and take photographs in order to document abuse. Raising awareness and developing rigorous evidence-based programs, practices, and policies to prevent intimate partner violence are critical to preventing violent behavior from occurring in the first place (CDC Grand Rounds: A Public Health Approach to Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence, 2019). Most prevention strategies aim to stop violence before it begins. Many key sectors, including education, the media, housing and community development, criminal justice, transportation, and private industry, will need to be involved (CDC Grand Rounds: A Public Health Approach to Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence, 2019).

CDC Grand Rounds: A Public Health Approach to Intimate Partner Violence Prevention (2019).

www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6302a4.htm?s cid% 3Dmm6302a4 x

Any intentional physical, mental, or psychological harm inflicted on a vulnerable person is defined as violence or abuse. Punching, berating, screaming, and other forms of intentional cruelty are included. Domestic violence also includes threats or minor verbal or physical assaults, and victims attempt to meet the abuser’s demands. Victims believe they are trapped, reliant, helpless, and powerless. They may suffer from depression as a result of being trapped in the abuser’s power and control loop. As a victim’s self-esteem suffers as a result of the abuse, he or she will blame themselves for the violence and become unable to see a way out of the situation. Neglect is defined as any intentional or unintentional lack of concern for someone’s well-being, such as failing to meet the basic needs of a dependent. Abuse and neglect can take many forms, including child abuse, child neglect, dependent adult abuse, dependent adult neglect, and domestic violence.