A collaborative approach to domestic violence

The Center for Disease Control notes averages of 38% of patients nationally are victims of domestic abuse. Traditionally, community programming has been the venue for domestic violence education, especially when addressing the need for involvement of law enforcement. Yet 80% of the women will initially reach out to a health care provider. Health care is on the frontline, yet has not been recognized as a valuable asset to the laws and law enforcement agencies which seek to protect and prevent. In partnership with the Camden County Prosecutors Office, Camden County Department of Health and a Widener University faculty member, a program was developed. The program follows the process originally developed by Nola Pender (1996) to facilitate the development of a health-protection-promotion plan

Initial data from a survey of 86 hospital emergency and critical care nurses revealed 66% of the nurses were unable to identify victims of intimate partner violence and 53% were uncertain of services within the hospital for victims of intimate partner violence. Yet 63% agree that intimate partner violence is a significant health care problem. 69% agree that medical and hospital staff have an important role in addressing intimate partner violence. In addition to staff development educational sessions, resources such as mental health specialists, shelter availability, and a representative of the prosecutor's office, were established and available within the emergency department. Following the implementation of these resources the identification ratio of domestic violence cases increased from 38% to 59%.