A patient being treated in an alcohol rehabilitation unit reveals to the nurse,"I feel terrible guilt for sexually abusing my 6-year-old child before I was admitted." Based on state and federal law,the best action for the nurse to take is to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Laws regarding reporting child abuse discovered by a professional during a suspected abuser's alcohol or drug treatment differ by state.Federal law supersedes state law and prohibits disclosure without a court order except in instances in which the report can be made anonymously or without identifying the abuser as a patient in an alcohol or drug treatment facility.Anonymously reporting the abuse by telephone to the local child abuse hotline meets federal criteria.Respecting nurse-patient confidentiality and replying,"I'm glad you feel comfortable talking to me about it" do not accomplish reporting.Filing a written report on agency letterhead violates federal law.

A Patient Being Treated in an Alcohol Rehabilitation Unit Reveals