A married woman being seen in the clinic has symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The best action by the nurse is to

Question

a. ask the woman whether she feels safe to leave the clinic now.
b. find out whether the woman is cheating on her husband.
c. gently suggest that she ask her husband whether he is cheating.
d. teach how STIs are transmitted and can be prevented.

Answer 1

A
Higher rates of STIs are seen in women who are victims of intimate partner violence. The nurse should suspect the woman is in a violent relationship, and because patient safety comes first, the nurse should assess whether the patient feels safe to go home.
Asking whether the patient is "cheating" is judgmental and inappropriate. It also implies that the woman is to blame for her medical problem.
Suggesting that the patient's husband is "cheating" is judgmental and does not consider the safety of the patient. The other thing to consider is that some STIs can be asymptomatic in women for long periods of time. Placing blame on either partner is counterproductive and misses the opportunity to assess for violence. Women in violent relationships have higher rates of STIs.
Education on how STIs are transmitted and can be prevented is important for any patient who has a suspected STI, but this does not consider the patient's safety, so it is not the best answer.