Running head: LOVING CARE 1

Tender Loving Care

Cory Tepatti
Ferris State University













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Abstract
Different types of abuse were examined in relation to workplace abuse and elderly abuse.
Dorothy E. Johnsons theory of behavior is used in reference to workplace abuse and elder
abuse. The baby boomer generation is getting older and their life expectancy is increasing as
well. The increasing life expectancy is increasing the need for nurses in long-term care.
Together, nurses work as a team to prevent workplace abuse and elderly abuse, yet abuse still
exists in healthcare. By having a safe and quality work environment, the nurse can perform the
nursing process with confidence which will result in a better nurse-patient relationship.















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Loving Tender Care
Nursing is not an easy job. Imagine a nurse with over ten years experience working in a
nursing home that is physically and verbally abusing patients that smokes cigarettes, drinks
alcohol, and does illegal drugs all the time. Also, imagine a nurse that steals coworkers and
patients belongings behind their backs. It is sad to think about, but this does happen
unfortunately in real life. Some nurses work hard to promote such great legacy and responsibility
in caring for people, but other nurses ruin that reputation. According to Taylor, Lillis, LeMone,
and Lynn (2011), when it comes to patient care nurses practice to restore health, prevent illness,
promote health, and facilitate coping with disability or death (p. 8). Showing a patient a little
tender loving care from time to time would strengthen a nurse-patient relationship. This is
because nurses have set standards consisting of professional practice and performance that
should practice ethically safe and quality nursing care (ANA, 2010). It is important for other
nurses and healthcare staff to be more observant towards all types of abuse occurring in
healthcare. This should include abuse in the workplace as well as in acute care and long-term
care.
Workplace Abuse
An individual nurse can save a life, assist with end of life care, or commit murder, its up
to him or her to decide. Nurses need to live happy and healthy lives, but this is not always the
case. By building a foundation inside and outside of a long-term care facility, it saves the elderly
from being hurt physically and psychologically. According to Kunyk and Austin (2012),
Impairment related to substance abuse can have detrimental effects on nurses performance
through negative impacts on alertness, attention, concentration, reaction time, coordination,
memory, multi-tasking, perception, and thought processing as well as on self-estimation of
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impairment and disinhibition (p. 382). Just as long-term care organizations regulate their
workers, they need to focus on the patients and employees who are being abused behind the
scenes, which is unethical and illegal. As healthcare and illnesses change, so does society. This
can be a hindrance, but also an advancement in nursing research because changes challenge
nurses. With proper surveillance cameras placed throughout the facility and in patients rooms,
the abuse given by the bully can be more easily captured, but with respect to HIPAA and patient
privacy. Overall, co-workers are being harassed and bullied and healthcare organizations need to
keep a better eye on their nurses.
Elderly Abuse
Many people seek peace from the world around them only to find that the world is
corrupt. The presence of nurses in healthcare comforts those seeking peace with quality
standards of practice, which is a blend of science and art (Taylor, Lillis, LeMone, and Lynn,
2011, p. 5). With the growth of the population and life expectancy increase, the baby boom
generation will be needing long-term care services. These baby boomers may require an increase
in the nursing field. In 2010, Post et al. established several types of abuse, which are physical
abuse, caretaking abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, material abuse, and neglect
(pp. 328-329). Unfortunately, patients in long-term care have been abused in the past and today.
Reporting any type of abuse as soon as possible prevents further harm to a patient. Any form of
abuse is unethical and illegal. Starr (2010) explained because the population of the world is
aging, societies must develop a strong focus on the care and protection of older adults (p. 231).
Nursing Theories
Caring for others is a special trait that not everyone has. Whether it is a man or woman,
humans are capable of expanding their knowledge and making decisions. The nursing theorist
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Dorothy E. Johnsons theory of behavior correlates to how nurses have an imbalance in
themselves and the environment around them. The theorys central theme is, nursing problems
arise when there are disturbances in the system or subsystems or the level of behavior
functioning is below an optimal level (Taylor, Lillis, LeMone, and Lynn, 2011, p. 75).
Balancing a healthy life inside and outside of work can be tricky, but managing self-stability
with knowledge of environment can be hard. Without proper physchological treatment, the
forces of stress and reliance on substance abuse can lead to a very poor demonstration of safe,
adequate nursing practice. Johnsons nursing theory teaches nurses to continue education and
self-reflect on how they act toward others and themselves, which may help some nurses see how
bad they are.
Conclusion
It takes courage to step up and report any type of abuse because the reporter may cause
conflict with his or her personal life and/or career. A nurse that physically abuses, verbally
abuses, emotionally abuses, sexually abuses, withholds or delays medications, steals, or fails to
provide care is a criminal and needs to be served justice. There are various forms of
mistreatment, and it is sad but true that injury or death can be a part of the abuse patients and co-
workers receive from others. The nurses who practice safe and quality care need to spread their
joy and knowledge so they can promote good behaviors and prevent abuse in any workplace,
acute care, and long-term care facility.




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References
American Nurses Association (2010). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice, 2
nd
edition.
Silver Springs, Maryland: ANA.
Kunyk, D., & Austin, W. (2012). Nursing under the influence. Nursing Ethics, 19 (3), 380-389.
doi:10.1177/0969733011406767
Post, L., Page, C., Conner, T., Prokhorov, A., Fang, Y., & Biroscak, B. J. (2010). Elder abuse in
long-term care: Types, patterns, and risk factors. Research on Aging, 32 (3), 323-348.
doi:1177/0164027509357705
Starr, L. A. (2010). Preparing those caring for older adults to report elder abuse. The Journal of
Continuing Education in Nursing, 41 (5), 231-235, doi:10.3928/00220124-20100423-06
Taylor, C., Lillis, C., LeMone, P., & Lynn, P. (2011). Fundamentals of nursing: The art and
science of nursing care (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer / Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins.