While prior research has focused on the prevalence of women presenting with domestic violence injuries in the emergency department, many more women present with injury and/or illness in primary care settings. Primary health care settings are often the first place an abused woman is seen when the violence begins. The purpose of this study is to identify the reporting behaviors of nurse practitioners practicing in New York State. A random sample of certified nurse practitioners completed a domestic violence reporting survey. This survey included questions regarding nurse practitioner's perceptions about barriers to identifying victims, barriers to asking specific questions about domestic violence as a normal part of history taking, barriers to referring victims to appropriate community resources, as well as their own past history of interpersonal violence. The survey also asked under what circumstances the nurse practitioner should report injuries, related to domestic violence, to law enforcement without the patient consent. The results of this study will discuss the overall behaviors of nurse practitioners when dealing with victims of domestic violence. Similarities and differences will be discussed regarding nurse practitioners: demographic characteristics, past history of violence, location of practice setting (rural/urban), type of practice setting, and socio-economic characteristics of clients.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the barriers impede Nurse Practitioners ability to identify, treat, and refer victims of domestic violence. 2. Describe how professional and personal demographic variables effect reporting behaviors. 3. Identify strategies for improving the identifying, treating, and referring behaviors of nurse practitioners.
Keywords: Domestic Violence, Nurse Practitioners
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.