Part 1
Notably, the abuse of older people has been observed to gain ground in recent times. The minority groups have mostly been on the receiving end and, in particular, the Hispanic community. In general, the abuse of older people may either exist as an act of omission which is also referred to as neglect or as an act of commission (Rodriguez, 2015). The harm may be intentional or unintentional. Such abuses occur in physical, psychological or financial forms. Whichever the case, such abuses are likely to result in sufferings, pain and injuries which would have been prevented in the first place. In serious cases, the abuses may have legal implications in the sense that the rights of the older person may be violated; a situation that will result in decreased quality of life of older persons (Rodriguez, 2015). The most common type of abuse is sexual abuse whereby instances of non-consensual sexual contact may occur to elder members of the society. Such abuses may be committed by friends, family members, and institutional employees (Rodriguez, 2015). It is for this reason therefore that appropriate care has to be given to the individuals that have gone through and been affected by this kind of abuse.
The care should be provided in a primary care setting where the most appropriate evidence-based care should be provided to the elderly Hispanics who have been affected by the actions of the abuse. Primary care refers to a multidisciplinary facet of healthcare whereby different healthcare practitioners involve in providing healthcare to individual patients (Rodriguez, 2015). The primary healthcare setting in this case, therefore, is the particular homes of the patients. It is in these primary healthcare systems that complex procedures and interventions take place. As such, it is imperative that the care providers involved in these kinds of health care settings be proficient on handling emergency cases.
Importance of being proficient in managing medical emergencies
• It is important for one to be proficient in managing medical emergencies in primary care settings for the major reason of proper planning and preparations. Appropriate planning and preparations are important in the sense that it helps in reducing anxieties which consequently is vital for improving patient outcomes (Rodriguez, 2015.
• Sufficient knowledge on how to manage medical emergencies is vital in the sense that the care providers can be in a better position to carry out screenings in order to detect any vulnerability in the state of a patient. Such screenings are also important in having a good understanding about the precipitating and the predisposing factors associated with any emergency cases (Rodriguez, 2015).
• Care providers can also be in a better position to identify potentially dangerous surroundings that are likely to put the safety and well-being of such individuals in jeopardizing situations (Rodriguez, 2015).
• Another important factor is that caregiver having expertise in handling emergency situations is to uphold the basic principles of first aid which focus on the preservation of life, preventing any further injuries and in the promotion of quick recovery to the affected patients (Rodriguez, 2015.
• In addition to being in a better position to assist patients in emergency situations, primary practitioners can also be instrumental in assisting other medical professionals like physicians in their efforts of performing life-saving techniques and efforts to the affected patients (Rodriguez, 2015).
Part 2
It is vital to take into consideration the fact that any emergency cases are supposed to be treated with the utmost care to ensure that only the best outcomes result from it. In this line, therefore, it is important to have a system that will effectively address the pitfalls that may be presented by any emergency situations (Hillman, 2013). Hence, it is important to embrace evidence-based practice in solving medical conditions like in this particular case sexual assault on an elderly Hispanic. As it is known, evidence-based plan of care is vital in healthcare settings and by extension in primary care settings where persistent clinical problems are solved by the use of standardized guidelines with strong scientific foundations that are targeted at improving the outcomes of the patient (Hillman, 2013). Such strategies are essential in solving any problems that are likely to be present themselves in emergency situations. As such, EBP is important in emergency situations for the following reasons;
• Since it involves the use of current knowledge bases in decision making, it means that the care that will be given to the patient in question will be most effective and efficient. Such a situation is key in ensuring that a patient in an emergency is taken care of with the most effective methods available (Hillman, 2013).
• Evidence Based plan of care is crucial in identifying care procedures that are mostly cost effective which are in line with the economic constraints of the patient that is being treated. As such, EBP identifies care methods which are economical to the patient (Hillman, 2013)
• Since evidence-based practice procedures dwell on common medical language, it becomes easier for emergency care providers to know the best procedures to adopt when faced with emergency situations (Hillman, 2013).
• In an emergency situation, it becomes easier for care providers to have better communication with the patients that they are taking care of so as to make rational decisions concerning the care plans that should be provided to a particular patient. This is crucial since it will be helpful in making primary care providers take legal accountabilities for the care they will be in charge of (Hillman, 2013).
Part 3
Objective and subjective information in this type of emergency
Even though in most emergency situations it becomes a challenge for such a victim to cooperate with the police, it is important for them to work with the police since it will not only act as a way of getting important medical and forensic information about the assault and the details concerning it (Phelan, 2012). The information provided will be used for therapeutic sessions which will be important in starting the process of emotional healing.
In order to get the appropriate objective and subjective information about the sexual assault on an older Hispanic, it is important to carry out complete physical examination on the body of the victim and, in particular, the pelvic region (Phelan, 2012). Information on forensic specimens and STD tests should be collected and kept in a safe place for legal reasons. Information about STDs will be obtained from laboratory tests focusing on anal, vaginal and pharynx areas (Phelan, 2012). Information about the location and timing of the assault should also be provided coupled with the nature of the assault (Phelan, 2012). If at all the Hispanic victim was assaulted with any weapon so as to distort their mental state, this should also be investigated and the information classified. Information about the state of consciousness of the victim and information about the assailant should also be taken into account to assist in legal proceedings against them (Phelan, 2012).
Part 4
Differential diagnosis
Evidence-based Management plan
Evidence-based treatment of such victims of assault should include the care for physical injuries, prevention of STIs and any psychosocial consequences. Notably, the caregiver needs to carry out a variety of test on the sexual victim to have evidence of the assault and infections. Additionally, the practitioners need to carry out a research to identify the risk factors exposing the patients to be vulnerable to the physical attack. The research will also help the practitioner to know the appropriate care to the patient and prevent reoccurrence of the attack. The risks of acquiring an STI from a sexual assault range between five to ten percent (Rudolph & Hughes, 2014). In this situation, therefore, prophylaxis is supposed to be given to such an elderly person if indeed there are symptoms of infection to such an individual. Prophylaxis is also supposed to be provided for syphilis, gonorrhea and Chlamydia infections (Rudolph & Hughes, 2014). Hepatitis vaccine should be given to patients who had not received it earlier. Post-exposure prophylaxis is also supposed to be given to patients who are feared to have contracted HIV during the assault after a pretest HIV counseling has been conducted. Follow-up medical care should be done to the patient depending on the severity of the psychological effects to the patient (Rudolph & Hughes, 2014).
References
Hillman, J. L. (2013). Crisis intervention and trauma: New approaches to evidence-based practice. Springer Science & Business Media.
Phelan, A. (2012). Elder abuse in the emergency department. International emergency nursing, 20(4), 214-220.
Rodriguez, L. (2015). Reducing Preventable Emergency Department Visits by Improving Patient Care Access to Primary Care.
Rudolph, M. N., & Hughes, D. H. (2014). Emergency psychiatry: emergency assessments of domestic violence, sexual dangerousness, and elder and child abuse. Psychiatric services.
