This educational program is designed and developed for Registered Nurses, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners and anyone need to adhere to TJC standards.

Abuse and Neglect:

Table of Contents

• Abuse and Neglect in the Health Care Setting 
• Legal
• Course Purpose and Learning Objectives 
• Background 
• Ethics, Rights, and Responsibility Standard: RI.2.150 
• Provision of Care Standard: PC.3.10 
• Know the Types of Abuse and Neglect 
• Legal Liability to Report Abuse and Neglect 
• Recognition of Abuse and Neglect 
• Assessment of Abuse or Neglect 
• Reporting Abuse or Neglect 
• Staff Education: What You Must Know 
• End of Course Quiz

Course Content Example 1:

Know the Types of Abuse and Neglect

Types of abuse and neglect a person may be subjected to:

Abuse – Intentional maltreatment of an individual that may cause injury, either physical of psychological.

Mental Abuse – humiliation, harassment, and threats of punishment or deprivation

Physical Abuse – hitting, slapping, pinching, or kicking, controlling behavior through corporal punishment.

Sexual Abuse – sexual harassment, sexual coercion, and sexual assault

Neglect – the absences of minimal resources to meet basic needs. Neglect includes with-holding or inadequate provisions of food and hydration, clothing, medical care, and good hygiene. It may also include placing the individual in unsafe or unsupervised conditions.

Course Content Example 2:

Legal Liability to Report Abuse and Neglect

Persons mandated to report:

• Childcare custodians
• Medical Practitioners
• Non-medical practitioners involved in the care of a patient.

All of these categories are protected from civil and criminal liability. Immunity from liability also extends to the taking of photographs and x-rays, and dissemination of them with the required reports.

Note: Persons not mandated to report are encouraged to report suspected abuse and neglect. Such persons are protected from civil and criminal liability.

Course Content Example 3:

Assessment of Abuse or Neglect

Health Professionals use S.A.F.E questions to assess domestic violence:

S. Questions regarding stress and safety. Example – Do you feel safe in your relationship?

A. Questions regarding fear and abuse. Example – Have you been physically hurt or threatened by your partner?

F. Questions regarding family and friends. Example – Do your parents or siblings know about the abuse?

E. Questions regarding an emergency plan. Example – Do you have a safe place to go in an emergency?