A man was crying and said, “I didn’t mean to do it. She just got me so

A man was crying and said, “I didn’t mean to do it. She just got me so angry I lost control. It will never happen again.” The woman said, “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have upset him.” Then, looking at the nurse, the woman added,

A man was crying and said, “I didn’t mean to do it. She just got me so angry I lost control. It will never happen again.” The woman said, “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have upset him.” Then, looking at the nurse, the woman added, “Please don’t report this. It will never happen again.” Which of the following is the most appropriate response by the nurse?
a.
“Abusers don’t stop unless intervention occurs. I have to report it.”
b.
“If you’re sure it won’t happen again, I’ll let it go this time.”
c.
“Legally, I’m required to put this in the medical record.”
d.
“The decision is up to the physician, not me.”

ESSAYBID ANSWER

ANS: A
It is a common myth that abusers will stop the abuse on their own. Professional intervention is required to break the cycle of abuse. The only way to effectively begin breaking the cycle of abuse is to report the incident. The nurse has a professional responsibility to report the abuse, just as the physician does. Documenting the information in the medical record will not initiate stopping the cycle of abuse.