A 78-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department (ED) for evaluation of an arm injury. During the assessment, the nurse notices contusions in varying stages of healing covering the client's chest and legs. When the nurse asks how the bruises were sustained, the client reluctantly states that her son frequently hits her "if supper is not ready when he gets home from work." Which of the following is the most appropriate nursing response?
A 78-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department (ED) for evaluation of an arm injury. During the assessment, the nurse notices contusions in varying stages of healing covering the client's chest and legs. When the nurse asks how the bruises were sustained, the client reluctantly states that her son frequently hits her "if supper is not ready when he gets home from work." Which of the following is the most appropriate nursing response?
A. "Oh? Let me talk to your son."
[0%]
B. "I appreciate your honesty, but I need to inform you that I am a mandated reporter, and I am required to report this."
[81%]
C. "Let's talk about how you can manage your time to prevent your son from getting upset."
[5%]
D. "Do you have friends who can help you or keep you safe until you resolve these important issues with your son?"
[14%]
Statistics
Subject/Lesson
Subject
Mental Health
Lesson
Abuse/Neglect
Client Need
Test Plan
Psychosocial Integrity
Related Topic
Abuse/Neglect
Item Type
Item Type
Application
Explanation
Choice B is correct. Under specific state and/or federal laws, nurses are mandated reporters, required to report any suspicion of child or elder abuse. Additionally, depending on the applicable jurisdiction, state law may mandate the nurse to report gunshot injuries, dog bites, specific criminal acts (i.e., rape, etc.), and certain infectious diseases (i.e., HIV, tuberculosis, monkeypox, etc.). The nurse should explain to the client that applicable state and/or federal law(s) require the nurse to report the suspected abuse to a specific entity or authority as outlined in the applicable law.
Choice A is incorrect. Confronting the client's son does not rectify the issue, nor does the response address any of the safety concerns of the client moving forward. As a mandated reporter, the nurse must also report the elder abuse suspicions/allegations to the proper authorities.
Choice C is incorrect. Teaching the client time management skills would erroneously imply that the client is at fault for this abuse and should therefore be avoided. This statement does not address the fact that the nurse is a mandated reporter of elder abuse.
Choice D is incorrect. The client's friends do not have a duty to keep the client safe, nor does the client need to "resolve . . . important issues" with her son. Additionally, this statement does not address the fact that the nurse is a mandated reporter of elder abuse.
Learning Objective
Identify the correct response when speaking with an elderly client who has just disclosed they are the victim of abuse.
Related Videos
3 Key Topics
Abuse
13.1 Psychosocial Stressors & Coping
Additional Info
- A mandated reporter, acting in good faith, is typically protected from criminal or civil penalties for reporting suspected abuse if that does not turn out to be the case.
- When documenting this type of encounter, write what the client has said about the situation in the client's own words.
