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LEGAL ISSUES
Nurses, along with any Canadian Citizen, have a legal duty to report suspected child abuse or neglect. The decision to report, however, is frequently a difficult one and it encompasses legal issues.
Three considerations are involved in any decision involving child abuse or neglect. First, What is child abuse? Second, reporting suspected child abuse or neglect might be viewed by
clients as punitive, therefore, the nurse may be worried about losing their clients trust and the relationship they have developed. Third, nurses who have limited contact with clients do not have much data upon which to base a decision. Nurses may worry about the detrimental effects if a family is reported falsely.
In the event that someone believes that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been or may be further affected by abuse or neglect and knowingly fails to report in accordance with the law will be committing a crime. If a nurse fails to report child abuse he or she will disciplined by their licensing board and the law.
There is tremendous difficulty in assessing child abuse and complying with the legal duties of reporting. Nurses must enhance their legal protections through non-accusatory, fact-specific charting.
Remember�when in doubt, report
(Murphy, S.S., 1995).
[Child Abuse]
[Legal Issues]
[Reporting]
[Case Study]
[Nursing Care]
[Self Awareness]
[Main]
Designed by Sherrine Singh & Janene Otto,Collaborative Nursing Program 2003
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