Case Study – Unit 4 The ethical discernment model described by Slosar (2004) and developed for use at Ascension Health will assist us in analyzing this case. It reminds us that discernment involves our spirituality, intellect, imagination, intuition and beliefs. It is a decision-making process that cuts to the heart of our beliefs about God, creation, others, and ourselves. It therefore requires a structured time for reflection and prayer from the beginning and throughout the process. Laws in all states require reporting when suspected abuse has occurred, and forensic examination is part of evidence collection. The presence of a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and a pediatrician experienced in sexual assault examinations indicates that a rigorous protocol was followed. The child is described as living in “a very rural area” of a Western state; therefore, conducting the exam as detailed saved the child and family the additional stress of a long trip. According to Foster and Whitworth (2005), telemedicine offers expert consultations, immediate assessments and eliminates patient transportation to a facility hundreds of miles away. It gives them access to the best possible care, with minimal discomfort and has proven very useful in rural areas (Wesson & Kupperschmidt, 2013). This particular patient needs a nurse with therapeutic communication skills to establish and maintain the trusting relationship. nurse/patient relationship so vital to his recovery. When a child suffers abuse, in addition to the pain and anger, the victim has his or her sense of right and wrong challenged. Whether it is psychological, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, the victim may believe they deserve what they are going through. This causes a low s......center of the paper......005). The role of nurses in telemedicine and child abuse. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 23(3). pp. 127-131. Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/506916_7Grace, P.J. (2014). Nursing ethics and professional responsibility in advanced practice. (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Kangasniemi, M., Vaismoradi, M., Jasper, M., & Turunen, H. (2013). Ethical issues in patient safety: implications for nursing management. Nursing Ethics 20(8); 904-916. doi: 10.1177/0969733013484488Slosar, J. P. (2004). Ethical decisions in healthcare. Health progress. pp. 38-43. Retrieved from http://www.chausa.org/publications/health-progress/article/january-february-2004/ethical-decisions-in-health-careWesson, J., & Kupperschmidt, B. (2013). Telemedicine on rural trauma. Journal Of Trauma Nursing, 20(4), pp. 199-202. doi:10.1097/JTN.0000000000000012