In order for nurses to confidently and successfully
intervene when they find themselves in situations where trafficking is
suspected, they must be educated. I
propose that utilizing the Sex
Trafficking and the Nursing Role: An Online Educational Module for Nurses
could be very beneficial in this endeavor.
The module was developed to be learner-focused to meet each individual’s
stylistic learning needs, including: a lecture on the topic, assessment of, and
interventions related to sex trafficking in various formats; case studies,
adaptable to simulations; pre- and post-tests.
The intended use for the Sex
Trafficking and the Nursing Role: An Online Educational Module for Nurses
is for incorporation into the registered nurse curriculum, particularly as an
addition to the public health nursing course.
Faculty would follow-up in a variety of ways, which they can tailor to
the needs of their students.
Furthermore, the module could be an efficacious teaching tool used as continuing
education units for nurses in practice, as well as other healthcare providers.
The content included in the lecture portion of the module is intended to define sex
trafficking and to make learners aware that sex trafficking is a problem in the
United States. A description of
different modes of sex trafficking, at-risk populations, the process of
victimization, and barriers to escape are included in the module. The module also includes a discussion on
victimization, nursing assessment and interventions, and the role of the law in
sex trafficking.
Sex trafficking is an issue that nurses in the United States need to be aware of in
order to provide the best care to their clients. It was estimated in 2005 by the U.S.
Department of Justice that there were between 100,000 and 150,000 people living
and working as sex slaves in the United States, and these numbers are only
rising. It is imperative that nurses
know how to recognize signs of trafficking and know how to intervene in order
to protect the health and safety of the clients that they work with.