Attitudes and practices of registered nurses toward women who have experienced abuse/domestic violence.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the education, attitudes, and practices related to domestic violence of perinatal nurses from three types of practice sites.


METHODS
A descriptive study of responses to a questionnaire administered to a convenience sample and through a mailing.


METHODS
Education conferences and responses to a mailing.


METHODS
Two hundred seventy-five nurses in perinatal practice (87 public health, 71 hospital, 117 private office).


METHODS
Primary outcomes were attitudes and beliefs about domestic violence and nursing behavior when domestic violence was identified. The effects of education about domestic violence on practice and the effect of a personal/family history of domestic violence on practice were examined.


RESULTS
Some differences were found in the attitudes and beliefs of nurses from different practice sites, but more differences were found in their behaviors. Only 54% of the total sample reported having education about domestic violence, received in formal or continuing education programs. Public health nurses were the most likely to have such education. Education affected both attitudes and behavior. In the total sample, 31% of nurses reported abuse of themselves or family members.


CONCLUSIONS
Nursing care for women who have experienced domestic violence includes assessment and appropriate counseling. Many nurses in this study lacked education about domestic violence. The provision of education about abuse and domestic violence is a first step toward a change in nursing practice.
Moore
M L
ML
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1066, USA.
Zaccaro
D
D
Parsons
L H
LH
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D018585:Battered Women; D017579:Domestic Violence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D009773:Obstetric Nursing; D009818:Office Nursing; D011247:Pregnancy; D011637:Public Health Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires