Date of Award

2002

Degree Name

Nursing

College

College of Health Professions

Type of Degree

M.S.N.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Lynne Welch

Second Advisor

Lou Ann Hartley

Third Advisor

Diana Stotts

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between domestic violence education, organizational support, screening, danger assessment, safety planning, and referral practices among professional registered nurses in two ED settings.

Sample & Setting: A convenience sample of 63 professional registered nurses provided data from two EDs. An ED located in Kentucky where state mandated continuing education in domestic violence was required (n = 33) and an ED in West Virginia (n = 30) where mandated continuing education in domestic violence was not required was the setting for the study. The samples were separated based on nurses who had completed state mandatory continuing education and nurses who had not completed state mandatory continuing education in domestic violence.

Tool: The Domestic Violence Survey Tool, (DVST) a 26-item self-report survey was used to assess RN perceived adequacy for domestic violence education, organizational support, screening, danger assessment, safety planning, and referral practices. Analysis: Descriptive statistics were utilized to describe the study samples (N = 63). Spearman rho was utilized to examine the relationships between the two groups for organizational support, screening, safety planning, danger assessment, and referral practices.

Conclusions: Registered nurses who completed mandatory continuing education in domestic violence reported completion of screenings, danger assessments, safety planning, and organizational support. Registered Nurses were more likely to provide assessment and interventions for domestic violence when provided both state mandatory continuing education and ongoing organizational support. These nurses screened more frequently, perceived a higher level of preparedness to screen both adolescents and adult female patients for domestic violence, performed more danger assessments, implemented safety planning, and referred patients to appropriate resources. Specifically, the organizational provisions of a domestic violence policy and procedure, written screening questions within the ED assessment form, safety planning tools, and ongoing domestic violence in-service training were associated with the desired healthcare responses to domestic violence.

Subject(s)

Emergency nursing - Education (Continuing education)

Emergency medicine.

Victims of family violence - Medical examinations.

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