The Registered Nurse's Role in the Office Treatment of Patients With Histories of Abuse: A Proposed Treatment Model

Family violence has been recognized as a significant problem and has important ramifications for nursing practice. Abuse and trauma have far-reaching biopsychosocial consequences for affected individuals, many of whom are seen in medical offices with primarily physical symptoms. These symptoms often involve the gastrointestinal tract.In this article, the authors discuss the biopsychosocial as well as psychosocial manifestations of abuse and trauma and the nurse's role in caring for this patient population. Desirable characteristics for nurses who fulfill this role and a description of the optimal therapeutic environment for this treatment approach are outlined. Finally, a nursing treatment model is proposed for the office care of patients with histories of abuse and trauma. The nurse has a crucial role in this model.