Mandatory Reporting of Intimate Partner Violence: An Ethical Dilemma for Forensic Nurses.

Nearly all states and provinces have laws mandating licensed healthcare professionals to report to law enforcement suspicions and allegations of the abuse of children, older adults, and disabled persons and all incidents of violence by a deadly weapon. However, a few states in the United States additionally mandate providers to report all injuries resultant from reported or suspected domestic/intimate partner violence. This can present a challenge to forensic nurses seeking to protect patient confidentiality and autonomy. This challenge becomes further compounded when a patient desiring to remain anonymous reports sexual assault by their partner, accompanied by bodily injury. This case report explores one such scenario that occurred in a rural Colorado Emergency Department, the issues this presents to forensic nurses, and possible responses.

Reply to 'Civilizing the "Barbarian": a critical analysis of behaviour modification programmes in forensic psychiatry settings'.

AIM: To consider ethical propositions relating to nursing in UK forensic settings. BACKGROUND: A previous paper considered behavioural programmes with a Canadian forensic population. METHOD: Some literature and personal reflections are presented. RESULTS: Whilst some similarities with the nature of Canadian forensic settings are identified, the UK is developing its' own cognitive-behavioural tradition of working. CONCLUSIONS: The skills necessary for working with forensic patients are a development of a wider mental health nursing and therapy skill-set. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse managers within forensic services need to be clear about the values of their services and ensure that therapeutic approaches are consistent with these values. Managers must consider how to support nurses acquire the requisite skill-set.

Special observations in forensic psychiatric practice: gender issues of the watchers and the watched.

Special observations in psychiatric practice may create tensions for both the patient under surveillance and the staff undertaking the procedure. This study reports on special observations undertaken in forensic settings focusing specifically on the gender-sensitive issues. The aim of the study was to investigate the specific gender issues relating to special observations in relation to those under the procedure and those engaged in observing. Three medium secure units in the UK formed the sampling frame, and the population studied was eight female and seven male clinical Registered nurses. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, audio-tape-recorded and transcribed for analysis. The analysis involved a Grounded Theory approach to explicate categories and formulate two overarching themes: (1) the psychosocial fusion; and (2) the private as spectacle. There are implications for practice in relation to policy formulation and the implementation of special observations following risk assessment and individual skill identification. It is concluded that gender issues are extremely important for all concerned in this intrusive practice.

Prescrição de medicamentos e solicitação de exames por enfermeiros no PSF: aspectos, éticos e legais / Medicine prescription and test request by nurse in FHP: ethics and legal aspects

O Programa Saúde da Família ? PSF ? surge como proposta para reorientar e reorganizar o sistema público, assegurando a construção de um modelo assistencial que priorize a cidadania de todos. O enfermeiro, como membro da equipe de saúde da família, exerce um papel extremamente importante, desenvolvendo ações comuns a toda equipe e outras atribuições específicas, como, por exemplo, realizar consulta de enfermagem, solicitar exames complementares e prescrever medicamentos em condições singulares. No que concerne à prescrição de medicamentos e solicitação de exames por enfermeiros no PSF, têm surgido muitos questionamentos, envolvendo o respaldo legal diante de tais atribuições. Neste enfoque, o presente estudo de natureza documental tem por objetivo destacar parâmetros éticos e legais que respaldem a prática de enfermeiros no PSF referente à prescrição de medicamentos e solicitação de exames. Vale ressaltar que, para a concretude deste trabalho, foram enfatizados a Lei do Exercício Profissional 7.498/86, o Decreto 94.406/87, o Código de Ética dos Profissionais de Enfermagem ? Resolução COFEN 311/07 e a Resolução COFEN 271/02. A partir deste estudo, pôde-se observar que a consolidação destas práticas realizadas pelo enfermeiro, no PSF, fazem-se necessárias na construção da legitimidade e identidade profissional do enfermeiro.

The Family Health Program (FHP), is a proposal that aims to guide and organize the public system, assuring the construction of an assistance model that gives priority to all citizens. The nurse, as a member in this program plays an important role, developing actions that are common to the role team as well as, some other specifics actions such as nurse consultation, request of complementary tests and medicine prescription. Concerning to medicine prescription and request of tests there have been many questions involving the legal validity of those procedures. In this sense, this is a documental study that aims to point out the ethics and legal parameters that supports the practice of nurses in the FHP, concerning to medicine prescription and request of tests. It can be pointed out that his study was based upon the law of professional practice 7.498/86; the decree 94.406/87; the Ethic Code of Nurse Professional; resolution of COFEN 311/07 and the resolution of COFEN 271/02. According to the findings of this study, it was observed that the consolidation of the practices performed by nurses in the FHP, are of fundamental importance in the process of legitimation and professional identity of nurse.

El programa de la salud de la familia-PSF surge como propuesta para reorientar y reestructurar el sistema público, garantizando la construcción e un modelo de la asistencia que privilegie la ciudadanía de los todos. El enfermero, por lo tanto miembro de la equipo de la salud de la familia tiene una posición muy importante, desarrollando acciones comunes a la todo equipo y otros atribución especificas con por ejemplo, la realización de la consulta de enfermería, solicitación de examen complementares y la prescripción de los medicamentos en condiciones singulares. En lo que hace respecto a la prescripción y solicitación de examen por enfermeros en el PSF, han surgido muchas contestaciones, envolviendo el respaldo legal delante de estas atribuciones. En este enfoque, el presente estudio de la naturaleza documental, tiene como objetivo destacar parámetros éticos y legáis que respalden la practica de enfermeros en el PSF que se réferi a la prescripción de los medicamentos y solicitación de examen. Vale decir que para la realización del trabajo, fueron enfatizados la ley del ejercicio profesional 7.498/86, el Decreto 94.406/87 ,el código de la ética de los profesionales de enfermería- Resolución COFEN 311/07 y la Resolución COFEN 271/02. a partir de este estudio, puédase observar que la consolidación de estas practicas realizadas por el enfermero, el PSF, se hace necesaria en la construcción de la legitimidad y identidad profesional del enfermero.

Nursing in corrections: lessons from France.

This article presents the results of a qualitative study (grounded theory) comparing nursing practice in corrections in both France and Canada. In Canada, nurses work as both agents of care and agents of social control. In contrast, French legislation has separated the responsibilities of health care and corrections. The effects of this split are illustrated, and the French model examine for important perspectives for restructuring nursing services in Canada.

Poverty and crime in southern California.

While poverty and violence are not limited to one geographic region of the United States, unique demographic and geographic factors pose distinct problems in specific areas. In Escondido, CA, the city council linked poverty and crime to illegal immigration and proposed an ordinance forbidding landlords to rent to illegal immigrants. This article explores that case and examines implications for forensic nursing.