Question

the nurse is working in the emergency department with a client who was raped 1 hour ago. what action is most important for the nurse to include when planning care for this client?

Answer 1

The most important action for the nurse to include when planning care for a client who was raped is to ensure the client's safety, both physical and psychological. It also includes educating staff on handling these cases, establishing a trusting environment, and providing on-call mental health resources.

Step-by-step explanation:

When planning care for a client who was raped 1 hour ago, the most important action for the nurse to include is ensuring the safety of the client. This encompasses not only physical safety but also psychological safety, as both are critical for survivors of sexual assault. Immediate steps should be taken to create a secure and supportive environment, providing the assurance that the survivor is in a safe place.

It is vital to educate staff on the correct procedures when working with survivors of sexual assault, which includes preserving evidence while also attending to the survivor's emotional well-being. The nurse should also build trust through a sensitive approach, offering resources such as mental health support that is available on-call if the survivor desires it.

Furthermore, the surgeon, nurse, and anesthesia professional should collaboratively review the care plan, including considerations for any necessary procedures, recovery, and ongoing support for the survivor, addressing both physical and psychological concerns raised by the survivor's traumatic experience.