The wife of an abusive husband reports to the nurse that her husband has been increasingly more abusive over the past year.Which of the following should be the first action that is taken by the nurse?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Unfortunately,abuse tends to escalate in frequency and severity over time,and the man's remorse tends to lessen.A nurse encountering severe abuse needs to consider the safety of the woman and her children as the priority.The woman will need an order of protection and help in getting to a safe place.At the very least,the woman must design a carefully thought-out plan for escape and arrange for someone to call the police if another violent episode occurs.Although marital counseling may be useful at an early stage of abuse,it is generally contraindicated at all other stages because of the risk to the woman's safety.After first developing an escape plan,it may be beneficial for the nurse to speak with the woman more about potential triggers for the husband's abuse as well as her own self-esteem and how that may be influencing the continuation of the relationship.

The Wife of an Abusive Husband Reports to the Nurse