Nursing Care for Victims of Violence – Cuidados de Enfermagem para as Vítimas de Violência

It is 5 o’clock in the morning and a young woman walks into an emergency department. The young woman, a college student at a local university, begins crying and states “I am not sure but I think I was raped.all I remember was having a few drinks at a party and when I woke up my underwear were on backwards and I hurt down there.” The triage nurse brings the young woman into a private area and calls the sexual assault nurse examiner on call.  

This story is all too common in hospitals across the United States. Violence and crime are major issues affecting our society. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2014, U.S. residents age 12 or older experienced an estimated 5.4 million violent victimizations and 15.3 million property victimizations.¹ Nurses provide care to victims and offenders of violence in a variety of settings, often without specialized training. Many nurses watch and are intrigued by the criminal television shows and routinely care for patients who experience violence; however, many are unaware of the specialty of forensic nursing or that knowledge of forensic health issues can enhance their practice.

Forensic nursing is an innovative and evolving nursing specialty that addresses healthcare issues with a medico-legal component.² In responding to the societal and healthcare needs created by increasing criminal violence, forensic nursing programs provide nurses with the necessary skills for specialized healthcare and expertise to meet the needs of victims and offenders of violence. In 1995, the American Nurses Association (ANA) recognized the specialty of forensic nursing, solidifying the future of the role of the forensic nurse. ³Since then, forensic nursing has become a fast growing specialty practice that continues to evolve. Specialized forensic healthcare may include evaluation, identification and treatment of injuries, collection of biological and/or physical evidence, legal documentation of injuries, and participation in court proceedings.²

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The earliest and most recognized role in forensic nursing in the United States is that of the sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE). The purpose of SANE programs is to provide victims of sexual assault with healthcare, forensic assessment, evidence collection, forensic documentation, and court testimony. The process involves completion of a 40 plus hour course, precepted training, and credentialing after successful completion of the national exam. SANE programs have proven to be an effective method of meeting the healthcare and legal needs of sexual assault victims.

Forensic nurses practice in a variety of settings with a diverse group of victims and offenders. Many forensic nurses work as part of interdisciplinary teams that investigate abuse or neglect situations with adults and children, as well as teams involved in prevention efforts. Forensic nurses in critical and emergency care and psychiatric nursing routinely interact with individuals who have experienced violence and its consequences. These nurses provide physical care while attending to the collection of evidence and documentation for legal proceedings. Leia notícia completa 

Fonte: Advance Healthcare Network