Mental Health Nursing II NURS 2310 Unit 6 Abuse and Neglect

Key Terms Abuse = the use or treatment of someone or something that causes some kind of harm or is unlawful or wrong; the maltreatment of one person by another Victim = one who is harmed by or made to suffer from an act, circumstance, agency, or condition Battering = a pattern of coercive control founded on and supported by physical and/or sexual violence or threat of violence of an intimate partner

Objective 1 Reviewing the types of abuse and neglect

Physical abuse = when one person inflicts physical violence or pain on another Verbal abuse = when a person uses profanity or says things that threaten or make another feel scared Emotional abuse = coercion, humiliation, intimidation, relational aggression, parental alienation, or covert incest Elder abuse = abuse, most often physical or in the form of psychological threats, directed at the elderly, especially in nursing homes and similar institutions

Child abuse = physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse directed toward a child – –Incest = sexual contact/interaction between, or sexual exploitation of, close relatives, or between participants who are related to each other in a way regarded as a prohibition to sexual relations Neglect – –Physical = refusal of or delay in seeking health care, abandonment, expulsion from the home or refusal to allow to return home, and inadequate supervision – –Emotional = chronic failure to provide the hope, love, and support necessary for development and/or maintenance of a sound, healthy personality

Intimate partner violence = an ongoing, debilitating experience of abuse in the home – –May be physical, psychological, and/or sexual – –Associated with increased isolation from the outside world – –Limited freedom/accessibility to resources Rape = the expression of power and dominance by means of sexual violence Sexual abuse = improper use of another person for sexual purposes without their consent or under physical or psychological pressure

Objective 2 Exploring populations most vulnerable to abuse and neglect

Children Elderly Women Low socioeconomic status Cultural norms

Objective 3 Examining common forms of elder abuse

Physical abuse – –injury, impairment, physical pain, or threat of physical force – –inappropriate use of chemical and/or physical restraints – –rough handling while providing care, moving the body, or administering medication Emotional abuse – –psychological – –verbal – –treating the elder like an infant – –isolating the elder from family, friends, and/or regular activities

Neglect or abandonment by caregivers Financial exploitation Self-neglect – –leaving the stove unattended – –denying or ignoring need for food, water, hygiene, safety, or medications Sexual abuse – –showing the elder pornographic material – –telling dirty jokes Healthcare fraud/abuse

Objective 4 Describing risk factors and characteristics of the abused individual and of the abuser

Abuser Characteristics Jealousy Controlling behavior Quick involvement Isolation Blames others for feelings Cruelty to animals Hostility while drinking Breaking or striking objects when angry Threats of violence Use of force during an argument

Characteristics of the Abused Individual Blames self for violence or harmful acts Dependent on abuser – –wants to be controlled – –feels the need to be taken care of Poor self-image Expects abuser to change Returns to abuser after assault(s) Makes excuses for abuser Defends abuser’s actions

Objective 5 Recalling the required steps of reporting in Iowa and Nebraska if the nurse encounters suspected or confirmed abuse in the health care setting

Reporting Suspected Adult Abuse

Reporting Suspected Child Abuse