As nurses, there is a responsibility to protect our patients from being placed at risk of harm from others in the community. Victims of abuse are regularly treated by health care services.

Discuss the above statement; explaining the legal and professional reporting that occurs when a nurse comes into contact with a person who has disclosed that they have been harmed. Examples include: elderly people who have been maltreated, children who have been sexually and/or physically assaulted and women who live with intimate partner violence (domestic violence).

Include in your answer the relevant codes, legislation and documentation governing the requirement to report such issues. Consider what the implications are for the registered nurse and the delivery of nursing care.

Your assessment is to be set out in essay format (introduction, body, and conclusion) and referenced by contemporary, scholarly materials found in the library databases and reputable web-based sources. See marking guide below for further information on how marks are allocated for this assessment