Nurses, by all means, play a significant role in terms of maintaining the well-being of patients. However, as far as social aspects are concerned, some professionals find it irrelevant to address the issues of their patients, leaving this responsibility to the social workers and other institutions. However, over the past years, major attention has been paid to the nurse’s role as an advocate of patients’ safety in case the precedent might affect the health outcomes. Thus, violence as a severe social issue obtains a drastic effect on survivors, as they become vulnerable both physically and mentally.
Thus, when assessing patients’ health, nurses are to define both physical and behavioral “red flags” that might point out that the individual is a victim of domestic violence or abuse. Some of the signs include repetitive bruising, injuries, unwillingness to seek medical assistance, stress-related illnesses, anxiety, licit drug abuse, and gynecological dysfunctions (Byrom, Collier, & Rogers, 2017). However, even when the aforementioned signs are detected, it is of paramount importance to define the extent to which a person is willing to explain their nature. In case they avoid answering, it is imperative for the nurse to ask a few broad questions concerning the environment at home and let the patient know that there are services willing to help in case something happens. As far as my medical facility is concerned, the standard procedure would be to address the resources such as the local Department of Children and Families. Although such a decision is appropriate in the given scenario, it is still important for nurses to communicate with patients, as they may obtain the information people are unwilling to share with the services.
Reference
Byrom, B., Collier, E., & Rogers, M. (2017). Nurses’ recognition of domestic violence and abuse. British Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 6(6), 286-293. Web.