should a doctor report abuse of adult patient

Report suspected violence and abuse in keeping with applicable requirements. Before reporting suspected violence or abuse, the Code says physicians should: Inform patients about requirements to report. Obtain the patient’s informed consent when reporting is not required by law.

Full Answer

Should physicians decide whether to report suspected abuse?

The fact that it is often difficult to decide whether to report suspected abuse does not negate one's professional and legal responsibility to protect children by doing so. Physicians are not responsible for determining whether maltreatment occurred, only for reporting reasonable suspicion.

Are patients in your exam room being abused?

Patients in your exam room may be experiencing one of a number of forms of abuse—domestic violence, human trafficking or other violence—and identifying those being abused can sometimes be tough.

What happens if I make a report of abuse?

The law protects you from civil or criminal retaliation as long as your report is made in good faith. If you are in doubt that what you have witnessed is abuse, these are the people to call.

What should a doctor know about violence and abuse?

The Code says that to protect patients’ well-being, physicians individually should become familiar with: How to detect violence or abuse, including cultural variations in response to abuse. Community and health resources available to abused or vulnerable persons. Public health measures that are effective in preventing violence and abuse.

What can you do if you notice that a patient is suffering from abuse?

Discuss any suspicion of abuse sensitively with the patient, whether or not reporting is legally mandated, and direct the patient to appropriate community resources. Report suspected violence and abuse in keeping with applicable requirements.

How do you ask a patient if they are being abused?

How to AskDifferent patients may respond better to different approaches.Make sure to ask in a private environment and do not use family or friends as interpreters.See ethics and privacy section before you start discussion.Patients highly value compassion and the quality of being non-judgemental.

Which of the following best describes a verbal complaint of patient abuse or neglect?

A Patient Grievance is a written or verbal complaint by a patient, or the patient's representative, regarding the patient's care (when the complaint has not been resolved at that time by staff present), abuse or neglect, or the hospital's compliance with the CMS Hospital Conditions of Participation (CoP).

When caring for a person who reports suffering domestic or intimate partner violence the healthcare professional's action is to?

1.2. Recommendation. Women who disclose any form of violence by an intimate partner (or other family member) or sexual assault by any perpetrator should be offered immediate support. Health-care providers should, as a minimum, offer first-line support when women disclose violence.

What is considered patient abuse?

Patient abuse or neglect is any action or failure to act which causes unreasonable suffering, misery or harm to the patient. Elder abuse is classified as patient abuse of those older that 60 and forms a large proportion of patient abuse. Abuse includes physically striking or sexually assaulting a patient.

Should you ask someone if they are being abused?

Ask Without Asking So, now you're worried. You want to do the right thing and be there for your friend or loved one, but asking them if their partner is abusive isn't going to always be met with the most grateful of responses.

What is the danger of disregarding the patient's complaint?

By continuously ignoring patient complaints, you send the message that your practice doesn't really care about its patients and their experience. As a result, patients may start to feel undervalued and search for a different practice.

What do you do if a patient complains about you?

6 Steps for Dealing with Patient ComplaintsListen. As simple as it sounds, it is your first step in dealing with the complaint effectively. ... Repeat. Summarize what the customer said so they know you were listening.Apologize. I am often amazed by how powerful this one word is. ... Acknowledge. ... Explain. ... Thank the customer.

What is the difference between a grievance and a complaint?

Complaints can cover everything from cleanliness of restrooms to job flexibility. Grievances, on the other hand, are formal complaints made by employees when they think a company or government policy, such as an anti-discrimination law, has been violated.

What type of abuse is most reported?

Neglect is the most common form of child abuse which affects about 60% of child abuse victims. 1 Neglect is defined as a parent or guardian fails to provide for their child's basic needs. Forms of neglect include medical, educational, physical, and emotional neglect.

Why is it important that the victim report the abuse to the proper authorities 1 point?

Reporting can help victims recover from their abuse and help prevent an offender from abusing someone else. Representatives of victim advocacy groups and law enforcement helped map out the process of making the first step to disclosure.

What is meant by late onset cases of abuse?

What is meant by late onset cases of abuse? Late onset abuse is a case in which the abuse begins later in life by a partner who was not previously abusive. The abuse is typically caused by age-related stresses including retirement, dependency, sexual dysfunction, etc.

Background

This case study supports the information on Adult safeguarding in the Ethical Hub. It aims to help explain how certain principles in our guidance should be applied to patients and in practice.

Scenario

On a home visit to review her stroke medication, Dr Rix notices bruising on Mary’s arms. On further examination, he notices the bruises are in a specific pattern – three long bruises next to each other around the forearm.

How to report child abuse?

The level of suspicion required to report suspected abuse is not clearly defined. But, with the knowledge that physicians tend to underreport suspected abuse, the following recommendations are made to increase physicians' confidence in making appropriate reports: 1 Obtain continuing education regarding child maltreatment. Routinely seeking out local and national opportunities for continuing education related to child abuse and neglect can help you maintain a current understanding of child maltreatment. 2 Know reporting laws. Familiarizing yourself with the reporting laws and to whom reports should be made in your state (i.e., CPS or law enforcement) can lessen the ambiguity in the reporting process. 3 Consult with colleagues. Establishing collaborative relationships with colleagues to consult with regarding difficult cases can assist in the decision-making process. Physicians in private practice who do not have colleagues readily available may want to create a referral process with local agencies that have teams who make these decisions. 4 Know your local CPS staff. Forming relationships with your local CPS staff members can facilitate an open line of communication and establish a better sense of the guidelines used by the agency.

Why is it so hard to document the number of children who are maltreated annually in the United States?

The number of children who are maltreated annually in the United States is difficult to document because: (1) definitions vary across tribal, state, and federal jurisdictions; (2) the standards and methods of collecting data vary considerably; and (3) many cases go unrecognized and unreported [5].

Why do physicians discuss cases with a knowledgeable colleague?

Physicians reported that discussing the case with a knowledgeable colleague helped them decide whether or not to report suspicious injuries. The clinician's past experiences with CPS. Clinicians who believed that CPS involvement would result in a negative outcome for the child or family were less likely to report.

What is child abuse?

Physical abuse is any physical injury to a child that is not accidental and may involve, but is not limited to, hitting, slapping, beating, biting, burning, shaking, ...

What is emotional abuse?

Emotional and psychological abuse exposes a child frequently and repeatedly to behaviors that impact his or her psychological well-being, including blaming, threatening, yelling at, belittling, humiliating, name calling, pointing out faults, withholding emotional support and affection, and ignoring a child. In some cases, exposure ...

What is sexual abuse?

In sexual abuse, an adult or older child engages a child in sexual activities such as fondling, intercourse, oral-genital stimulation, sodomy, observing sexual acts, viewing adult genitals, and looking at, watching, or engaging in pornography.

Is it the responsibility of a physician to determine if a child is being neglected?

Such instances present physicians with difficult decisions. It is not the physician's responsibility to determine the intent of the parent or caregiver, or whether abuse or neglect occurred.

How to report a person who is being abused?

The first step is to gather information, such as the names of people involved, current status of the individuals involved (especially if there is injury), the address the abuse occurred at, and names and contact information of witnesses. The second step is to find out who to make the report to.

What are the different types of abuse?

According to the National Adult Protective Services Association, there are different types of abuse, but as a general rule: Physical abuse: may include slapping, hitting, beating, bruising or causing someone physical pain, injury or suffering.

What is the term for restricting visits from family and friends or preventing contact via telephone or mail correspondence?

Isolation: involves restricting visits from family and friends or preventing contact via telephone or mail correspondence. Financial or material exploitation: includes the misuse, mishandling or exploitation of property, possessions or assets of adults.

What is emotional abuse?

Emotional abuse: involves creating emotional pain, distress or anguish through the use of threats, intimidation or humiliation. This includes insults, yelling or threats of harm and/or isolation, or non-verbal actions such as throwing objects or glaring to project fear and/or intimidation.

What is the difference between abuse in Indiana and Texas?

Sadly, the definition of abuse varies by state--in Indiana, it has to be physical abuse, financial, or sexual, while in Texas it can be physical, emotional abuse, mental, financial, or sexual. Check with the Adult Protective Services office in your county.

Where do adult protective services work?

Each state has an Adult Protective Services. Typically they work out of the county prosecutor's office. Like Child Protective Services (CPS), Adult Protective Services investigates complaints when they have reason to believe an individual has been harmed or is in danger of coming to harm from abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

Is it illegal to retaliate against someone for filing a complaint?

Retaliation against an individual for filing a complaint is illegal--make sure the abuser knows it. Abuse of any person is despicable, unacceptable, and wrong. Don't let the abuser get away with it. Know how to report abuse of an adult with mental illness.

What should a nurse do when treating a patient?

Nurses should provide a calm, comforting environment and approach the patient with care and concern. A complete head-to-toe examination should take place, looking for physical signs of abuse. A chaperone or witness should be present if possible as well.

What is the mandate of a nurse?

As mandated, they are trained to identify signs and symptoms of abuse or neglect and are required by law to report their findings. Failure to do so may result in discipline by the board of nursing, discipline by their employer, and possible legal action taken against them. If a nurse suspects abuse or neglect, they should first report it ...

Do nurses have a responsibility to care for victims of abuse?

Employers are typically clear with outlining requirements for their workers, but nurses have a responsibility to know what to do in case they care for a victim of abuse.

Should a nurse report abuse?

The nurse should notify law enforcement as soon as possible, while the victim is still in the care area. However, this depends on the victim and type of abuse. Adults who are alert and oriented and capable of their decision-making can choose not to report on their own and opt to leave. Depending on the state, nurses may be required ...

Do nurses have to be able to connect victims of abuse?

While not required by law, nurses should also offer to connect victims of abuse to counseling services. Many times, victims fall into a cycle of abuse which is difficult to escape.

What to do if you have been sexually assaulted?

Police: Call your local police or sheriff’s department to report a sexual or physical assault. State medical board: These agencies may revoke a doctor’s license or take other disciplinary action. Boards in some states won’t accept anonymous reports or don’t take complaints online.

What is the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's investigation of physician sexual misconduct?

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s investigation of physician sexual misconduct found that one patient’s report of abuse often leads others to come forward with similar allegations. Here are several options for patients who suspect their doctors of sexual improprieties:

What is the name of the organization that helps victims of sexual abuse?

The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) helps patients report sexual abuse to authorities and take legal action.

What is a hospital or clinic?

Hospital or clinic affiliated with the doctor: Hospitals may have a formal process to investigate complaints of misconduct at their facilities. Patients may also report doctors to their medical group practice or clinic, many of whom have a human resources administrator or medical director.