Page 62 - Human Rights

Faculty of Nursing
Adult care Nursing Department

The patient was later diagnosed with a stroke after significant delay.

The nurse concluded that he frequently faced challenges from administration and security

personnel who viewed detainees’ health complaints as exaggerated or intentional, rather than
legitimate medical conditions.

These obstacles prevented him from fulfilling his professional and ethical duty of care and

represented a serious violation of patients’ human rights.

relocation outside the center was inappropriate.” Forensic nurses have a specific role to play in
recognizing and evaluating past abuse and torture.

Provision of services requires a good understanding of transcultural health beliefs and practices

and thorough documentation of evidence.

In describing torture events or injuries, patients can evoke responses in the practitioner such as
disbelief, distress or outrage.

For this reason, nurses should receive regular supervision, training and support.

Aside from the health problems asylum seekers and refugees may encounter, increasingly

restrictive asylum policies may influence the care that nurses are able to provide.

In the case study below, the ability of a nurse to carry out his duty of care was frequently hindered

by the asylum system in which he was working.

In some jurisdictions asylum seekers face indefinite detention while the process of evaluating their
asylum claim proceeds.

Detention can last for years – with the asylum seeker having no information about how and when
detention will end – and this can lead to a serious deterioration in the mental health of those

detained.

59 Academic Year 2025/2026