Child Sexual Abuse: A Case of Intrafamilial Abuse

Abstract

This article presents a historic perspective of child abuse, reviews the existing literature, presents a case study, and describes a treatment plan using the nursing process. The case study describes the sexual abuse of a young girl by her stepfather and presents therapeutic interventions using the nursing process as a decision making tool to assess, plan, intervene, and evaluate. Child sexual abuse continues to be a major problem in our society. Nurses, both advanced practice nurses including clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners and the registered nurse working with families and children, can use the nursing process as a decision making tool The nursing process, when used to evaluate and plan care, can help to alleviate the pain and confusion that families experience when child abuse occurs.