Legal Perspectives on the Role Function of Emergency Room Nurses in Child Abuse

[[abstract]]兒童及少年福利法、家庭暴力防治法、性侵害犯罪防治法皆明文規定，護理人員於知悉兒童與少年有受虐或被疏忽的情形時，有通報的義務與保密義務，然若違反此等義務，將面臨處罰。此外，在驗傷取證過程中，亦有在場義務。然而急診護理人員若不知法律對護理人員角色功能的規範，可能錯放通報受虐案例的機會。護理人員應確實「通報」受虐兒童與少年，讓虐兒事件的統計數字說話，讓數字喚醒政府進而擬定相關保護政策。鑑於急診護理人員在發現與保護受虐兒童與少年的過程中有著舉足輕重的第一線角色，故本文將從法律觀點探討急診護理人員於照護受虐兒過程中之角色功能，以期護病雙贏。 Under stipulations of the Child and Adolescent Welfare Law, the Domestic Violence Prevention Law, and the Sexual Assault Prevention Law, nurses have an obligation to report cases of child neglect or abuse whenever they encounter victims of either. They also have an obligation to keep victims’ information confidential. If they contravene such obligations, they face penalties. In addition, during the process of victim assessment for evidence of neglect or abuse, nurses are required to be present. Nurses who are not aware of such legal obligations, however, may not report victims of child neglect or abuse. In fact, nurses ought to report such victims, and let the statistics on the victims of child neglect or abuse speak, in the hope that they will prompt the government to formulate a policy to protect such victims. In the light of the importance of emergency room nurses in identifying and protecting the latter, this article will explore their role function as regards child neglect and abuse from the legal perspective, with a view to benefit both nurses and victims