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Metas de Enfermería

Metas de Enfermería

DICIEMBRE 2000 N° 31 Volumen 3

Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy: Nursing Intervention

Section: Health and quality of life

How to quote

Gíménez MR, Segura G. Síndrome de Munchausen por poderes: Intervención Enfermera. Metas de Enfermería dic 2000/ ene 2001; 31:44-49

Authors

María del Rosario Giménez Andreu, Gabriel Segura López

Position

Alumnos de Tercer Curso de la Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería de Cartagena, adscrita a la Universidad  de Murcia.

Contact address

C/ San Antonio, 16, 3º A. Bº . 30300 Peral Cartagena, Murcia.

Abstract

Starting on the premise that nurses are disposed to perform during theperiod of suspicion and corroboration of case of Munchausen Syndrome byProxy (MSBP), a nursing intervention is proposed. On the one hand, it presentinterdependent activities aimed at allowing the early detection of the MSBPwithin multidisciplinary team of a hospital. On the other hand, it present agroup of nursing diagnosis addressed to the victim who has been ill-treatedonce the upset has been confirmed and included in the diagnostic taxonomyNANDA (Review 1996). To achieve that, a literature review of 180 writingsobtained during the databases of MEDLINE®(1992/01-1999/08) andPSYCLIT®(1987/01-1999/08) is carried out and we have eventually selected20 of them to carry out our study.

The detection criteria and the characteristics that define the MSBP areexposed, apart from the clinical manifestations that are more frequentlydescribed in those children affected by that unusual way of maltreatment. Inthe same way, we propose the nursing diagnosis: Impaired Adjustment,Altered Role performance and Altered Growth and Development, as themost important human responses presented by the children once theseparation of the person who looks after them has been imposed bychildren's protective services system.

Nursing discipline must clarify its function within a multidisciplinary team tothe benefit of a precocious detection of the MSBP. In the same way, theknowledge of the most common human responses that are manifested bya child when the separation of the person who takes care of them takesplace would allow identify and treat the special needs of the ill-treated care.

Keywords:

nursing; Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy; child abusenursing diagnosis

Versión en Español

Título:

Síndrome de Munchausen por poderes: Intervención Enfermera