Dear Mr. Sheridan
Read Response Letters to Daniel Sheridan
In 1981, nurse Daniel Sheridan wrote to the American Journal of Nursing, seeking advice from readers who might be providing nursing care in shelters for women who were battered. Within weeks, Sheridan received several letters from people around the United States. The letters highlighted here demonstrate how nurses and other concerned individuals were on the frontline of providing needed care for women, both in hospitals and shelters.
From Barbara Parker, June 23,1981
Letter from Barbara Parker to Daniel Sheridan, June 23,1981
Barbara Parker-a nurse, assistant professor at the University of Maryland, and nurse supervisor at a shelter in Baltimore for women who were battered-responded to Daniel Sheridan. She described how nursing students provided care to women who sought help and their families, at the shelter in Baltimore. Parker noted that the students applied "the nursing process" to individuals and families experiencing a variety of stress states. Given the difficulty and complexity of working with families undergoing crises, Parker advised that only registered nurses or graduate students be placed in shelters.
Read Transcriptc. parenting skills - especially communication with children and non violent discipline
d. self breast examination
e. sexuality, birth control
f. pregnancy (it is not unusual to have 1-2 pregnant women at any time)
g. nutrition
I believe, and the students validate this, that the experience is excellent. It gives the students a
variety of experiences and provides them with the unique experience of being the only health
care provider in an agency, (the staff at the shelter are counselors and social workers). However
because of this I carefully screen for students who can make decisions, function relatively
independently, and have a variety of recent clinical experiences - especially pediatrics and
obstetrics. They are often called upon to make decisions regarding the need for medical
evaluation and treatments and need to decide if the problem needs to be taken care of
immediately (involving a visit to an emergency room) or can wait for an appointment in a clinic.
As you know, this decision is often very difficult especially in working with a family undergoing
several simultaneous crises. For these reasons, I would not recommend a shelter for battered
women as a clinical experience for generic undergraduate students. I think it only appropriate for
Registered Nurse students or graduate students.
I hope these thoughts are helpful, and I need to remind you again of my intentions to publish an
article based on many of these thoughts and am therefore requesting that this not be reproduced.
Please feel free to contact me again if I can answer anything further.
Sincerely,
Barbara
From Barbara Parker, June 23,1981
Letter from Barbara Parker to Daniel Sheridan, June 23,1981
Barbara Parker-a nurse, assistant professor at the University of Maryland, and nurse supervisor at a shelter in Baltimore for women who were battered-responded to Daniel Sheridan. She described how nursing students provided care to women who sought help and their families, at the shelter in Baltimore. Parker noted that the students applied "the nursing process" to individuals and families experiencing a variety of stress states. Given the difficulty and complexity of working with families undergoing crises, Parker advised that only registered nurses or graduate students be placed in shelters.
Read TranscriptHouse of Ruth
Baltimore, Maryland
Nursing Student
Nature of Work
Under the supervision of the Service Coordinator, the nursing student(s) will provide health counseling and advocacy services to the residents and their children.
Specific Job Duties
- To provide education concerning child development both in terms of health care and emotional development.
- To provide education to the residents in the area of pregnancy of parenting and nutrition.
- To be available to residents for education around women's health issues.
- To act as an advocate for residents as they attempt to secure needed services.
- To teach residents and staff First Aid and Choking Maneuver
- To inform staff as well as residents in the area of safety in the home
- To assist with the children's fantasy group.
- To provide technical nursing skills as needed (dressing changes; cast care, etc.).
- To provide crisis counseling for hot-line service as needed.
- To provide Follow up Services for selected former residents.
- Other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
BP
6/81
