Abstract
This article provides the reader with a thoughtful example of an emergency nurse-led intervention to improve emergency department patient screening for domestic violence. Background information is provided along with the development of educational tools. Example ID badge cards and posters are also provided. Finally, helpful takeaways fare provided to aid in the implementation of similar projects in other emergency departments.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes intimate partner violence (IPV) as “any behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological or sexual harm to those in the relationship.” IPV affects millions of people around the world
IPV is associated with higher rates of chronic health issues such as PTSD, mental health problems, poor cancer outcomes, and increased risk to HIV infections (Beydoun, Williams, Beydoun, Eid, & Zonderman, 2017; Coker, Follingstad, Garcia, & Bush, 2017; Dillon, Hussain, Loxton, & Rahman, 2013)
Personal experience working as an RN in an ED As a nurse working in the ED in Prince Albert for five years, I (T.H.) have cared for a significant number of women in crises who showed signs of experiencing IPV
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes intimate partner violence (IPV) as “any behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological or sexual harm to those in the relationship.” IPV affects millions of people around the world. Personal experience working as an RN in an ED As a nurse working in the ED in Prince Albert for five years, I (T.H.) have cared for a significant number of women in crises who showed signs of experiencing IPV. Nurses were initially surprised by the statistics on IPV in the city and appreciated the poster’s utility in raising awareness about IPV They commended the poster’s simplicity and aesthetic properties, believing that it can act as a reminder to screen and intervene. They suggested that having community support services and contacts listed on the tool would help them connect clients to these valuable resources, especially during after-hour shifts. During the launch of the tool, the nurse educator recommended that pocket-sized cards with information on local resources be printed and handed to clients suspected to be at risk for IPV (see Appendix 1 and 2 for the poster and pocket-sized cards respectively)
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