4.3 Spotlight Application
Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN)
This section will apply the tools from the “Community Assessment” chapter to providing care for victims of human trafficking as an example of a nurse generalist caring for a member of a vulnerable population. See Figure 17.12[1] regarding human trafficking initiatives.
After hearing about a sexual trafficking arrest at a local hotel in the news, a nurse who works in the emergency department reads more information on the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Because the community is located near a major national interstate, the nurse realizes there are likely many unidentified victims of human trafficking passing through the community. The nurse develops a goal to improve the identification and support of individuals experiencing human trafficking in the community.
The nurse begins a community health needs assessment by reading statistics on the National Human Trafficking Hotline, as well as additional information in the Adult Human Trafficking Screening Tool and Guide PDF by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. Based on this research, the nurse keeps the following tips in mind when conducting an assessment with a potential victim of trafficking[2],[3]
- Lack of self-identification. Many victims do not self-identify as human trafficking victims due to lack of knowledge about the crime, as well as power and control dynamics involved in trafficking situations.
- Being conscious of verbal and nonverbal messages. When speaking with a potential victim of trafficking, the nurse plans on adopting open, nonthreatening body positioning; maintaining a calm tone of voice; displaying a warm, natural facial expression; using active listening skills; and mirroring the language the potential victim uses. For example, if the potential victim refers to her controller as her boyfriend, referring to that person as a “pimp” or a “sex trafficker” can negatively impact a therapeutic nurse-client relationship.
- Being aware of power dynamics. If a third party accompanies or interprets for the potential victim, the nurse plans on trying to speak to the potential victim alone or in a secure area with an official interpreter.
- Being aware of canned stories. Scripted stores are common, and the true story may not emerge until trust has been built with the potential victim.
- Meeting the person’s physical needs by offering a snack or beverage. Most individuals experiencing human trafficking have been deprived of basic necessities, such as food, fluids, sleep, and urgent medical needs. Hunger is a very common problem for individuals who have been trafficked; a person who is hungry will have difficulty focusing and may be irritable.
- Never allow confidential data to leave the office. Ensure secure mechanisms to maintain privacy of client data (e.g., use effective passwords and/or locked file cabinets).
- Being empathetic. The decision to disclose trafficking can