Narratives by district nurses about elder abuse within families

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Ethics
• Social Work

Background:

• Elder abuse within families presents complex challenges for healthcare providers.
• District nurses (DNs) encounter numerous cases requiring nuanced understanding and intervention.
• Caregiving demands and interpersonal dynamics often contribute to abusive situations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore district nurses' experiences with elder abuse cases.
• To analyze the underlying factors contributing to elder abuse in family caregiving contexts.
• To identify support needs for nurses managing ethical dilemmas in elder abuse situations.

Main Methods:

• Phenomenological-hermeneutical analysis of 44 narrated cases.
• Inclusion of experiences from 21 district nurses.
• Ethical analysis using Lögstrup's philosophy.

Main Results:

• Elder abuse experiences are complex, involving unmet care demands, dependency, power imbalances, and a history of violence.
• District nurses often attempted neutrality, avoiding conscious ethical reflection in abuse situations.
• Inability to meet care demands and inhibiting dependency were key contributing factors.

Conclusions:

• Nurses require enhanced support systems for decision-making in home care and elder abuse cases.
• Meta-level reflection, considering diverse perspectives, can improve nurses' judgment and ethical decision-making.
• Developing a deeper understanding of the 'core' issues in abuse situations is vital for effective intervention.