Child Abuse Case Study Essay
Introduction on child abuse
What strategies would you employ to assess the patient for abuse? Explain why you selected these strategies.
How might exposure to the media and/or social media affect the patient?
What type of mandatory reporting (if any) is required in this case? Why? Child Abuse Case Study Essay.
Conclusion
Please address each sentence separately
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Child Abuse Case Study
NURS 6660: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role I: Child
and Adolescent
Morgan, a 19-year-old male comes to your office to discuss his current mood and
symptoms. This is his first visit to a mental health clinic. “I’ve had 26 jobs in the last 2
years; I finally have a job that I like and I want to make it work.” As you begin to get to
know him, he tells you that his mood is down and that he also has times where he has
“more energy and motivation”: “That’s when I am able to get a new job.” He says that he
has difficulty interacting with coworkers. “I feel like I can’t talk to them.” If it wasn’t for
his supportive girlfriend, he wouldn’t be able to function. “She understands me and
accepts me; she knows what I have been through.” Child Abuse Case Study Essay.
As the PMHNP listens to the client and explores what he means by some of his
statements, you try to put together his story. He mentions that he has been having
nightmares and is not sleeping well. He says he startles easily. He becomes withdrawn
when he begins to talk about the reason for the nightmares.
“This all started a few weeks ago when a cousin of mine got out of jail.” He haltingly tells
the story of his parents’ mental illness and how he had to live with various relatives.
“One cousin who I stayed with a lot took advantage of me. He molested me.” They
found out he also molested other children and he went to jail. “It gives me the creeps
that he is out of jail. I have to face what he did to me.”
Morgan asks about his diagnosis. The PMHNP tells him that he has some symptoms
that sound like depression and anxiety, and that when a child has a traumatic
experience, it can reoccur and stay with a person for many years. He acknowledges
that he thought about PTSD but wasn’t sure what the symptoms look like.
As you think about Morgan’s story, consider the following questions: Where did he fall
between the cracks? Are there agencies who advocate for children like him?
There are thousands of children like Morgan. They were in a vulnerable family situation
and the “responsible” adult was not able to care for the child. Sometimes it takes years
for clients to remember and disclose the abuse. Child Abuse Case Study Essay.
Child Abuse Essay
Introduction on child abuse
Child abuse refers to the actual maltreatment of a child or potential for harm through psychological, sexual or physical approaches. It is notable that the agent of the abuse is the child’s parent, caregiver or guardian who is supposed to be responsible for protecting the child but either fails to protect the child or perpetrates the abuse (Gelles & Perlman, 2012). As a result, child abuse refers to a situation where the child is psychologically, sexually or physically harmed Child Abuse Case Study Essay.
What strategies would you employ to assess the patient for abuse? Explain why you selected these strategies.
Four strategies are available for assessing a child for abuse. The first strategy collects information from the child at risk of being abused on whether he or she is being abused. The second strategy interviews the parents, guardians and caretakers who are likely to be abusing the child. The third strategy collects information from the child’s environment to include neighbors and friends who may have witnessed the child being abused. The fourth strategy uses clinician-completed assessments. The final strategy entails conducting a physical examination on the child (Gilbert, Parton & Skiveness, 2011).
How might exposure to the media and/or social media affect the patient?
Exposure to the media is likely to have a negative effect on the patient by taking a toll on their development. In fact, it places the child under pressure resulting in an increased risk for emotional behavioral problems that would be exhibited as fear, problems with academics, depression and anxiety. In addition, it could prevent the child from recovery and even forgetting about the abuse by always acting as a reminder of what happened (Pecora et al., 2010). Child Abuse Case Study Essay.
What type of mandatory reporting (if any) is required in this case? Why?
Legal provisions designate a group of persons who are obligated to report all suspected and confirmed cases of child abuse. These groups include law enforcement officers, coroners, medical personnel, child care providers, mental health professionals (such as therapists and counsellors), medical professional (such as nurses and physicians), school personnel, and social workers. These individuals are identified for mandatory reporting because they have regular or frequent contact with children and their professional experiences allow them to identify cases of abuse. As such, they can act as credible sources of information on child abuse (Gilbert, Parton & Skiveness, 2011).
Conclusion
One must accept that child abuse is a worrying since it exposes vulnerable children to indefensible harm or failure to protect from a parent, caregiver or guardian who is supposed to protect the child. Still, there is a need to confirm a case of abuse using assessment strategies. Additionally, the information on an abuse case should not be exposed to the media since it increases the risk for the child experiencing emotional behavioral problems. Besides that, professions that have frequent contact with children should proactively fight child abuse by reporting all suspected cases. In this respect, child abuse refers to a situation where the child is psychologically, sexually or physically harmed. Child Abuse Case Study Essay.
References
Gelles, R. & Perlman, S. (2012). Total Estimated Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States. Chicago, IL: Prevent Child Abuse America.
Gilbert, N., Parton, N. & Skiveness, M. (2011). Child protection systems: international trends and orientations. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Pecora, P., Whittaker, J., Maluccio, A., Barth, R., DePanfilis, D. & Plotnick, R. (2010). The child welfare challenge: policy, practice, and research (3rd ed.). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. Child Abuse Case Study Essay.