An unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) assists a 78-year-old client with a bed bath and notifies the registered nurse (RN) about multiple fading bruises on the client's torso. Upon further assessment by the RN, the client tearfully states, 'My daughter gets so frustrated with me and sometimes she hits me.' Which action is the legal priority for the registered nurse?
- Notify the state adult protective services agency regarding the suspected abuse.Cevap
- BDocument the bruises in the medical record and wait to interview the daughter to verify the claim.
- CInstruct the UAP to carefully observe and evaluate the interactions between the client and the daughter.
- DTell the client, 'You are safe in the hospital, and I am sure your daughter did not mean to hurt you.'
Cevap
The registered nurse must immediately notify adult protective services or the appropriate state authority about the suspected elder abuse.
Registered nurses are legally mandated reporters of suspected abuse for vulnerable populations, including older adults. When a client presents with physical signs of injury and verbally discloses abuse, the nurse has a strict legal obligation to report these findings to the designated state authority (such as Adult Protective Services) immediately. The nurse does not need absolute proof to make a report, only a reasonable suspicion.
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Mandatory Reporting of Elder Abuse