The issue of abusive relationships, manipulative behavior, and domestic violence in contemporary society could hardly be overlooked. These problems manifest themselves in various forms, and they influence diverse spheres of social interactions. One of the most apparent examples of how exposure to abusive relationships can have adverse outcomes is the nurse practitioner who experienced abuse and manipulation in the past. This paper aims to overview the negative and positive aspects of having such an experience in the hospital environment.
Due to the prevalence of domestic violence problems, especially among women and children, professional nurse practitioners have to provide care for them (Murray, Crowe, & Flasch, 2015). However, the nurse’s experience of a similar kind could be an obstacle to delivering high-quality care. Primarily, it could serve as a trigger, which would retrieve the feelings of fear, anxiety, and emotional pain related to abuse.
Therefore, the nurse’s interaction with the patient would be significantly less productive. On the contrary, it should be noted that nurse practitioners could relate more to their patients since they have experienced the same situation in the past. One of the better solutions, which is proposed by Murray et al. (2015), is to identify several “turning points,” which are the opportunities for terminating abusive relationships (p. 236). It is also suggested that the clinical team should develop interventions for health promotion and obtain funding.
Thus, it should be concluded that exposure to abusive relationships among nurse practitioners, despite the fact that it could be an obstacle to caregiving, has considerable potential for the development of more compassionate nursing practice. There are various options for registered nurses to transform their adverse experiences into efficient, practical guidelines.
References
Albina, J. K. (2016). Patient abuse in the health care setting: The nurse as patient advocate. AORN Journal, 103(1), 73-81.
Murray, C. E., Crowe, A., & Flasch, P. (2015). Turning points: Critical incidents prompting survivors to begin the process of terminating abusive relationships. The Family Journal, 23(3), 228-238.