Increasing nurses' knowledge and skills for enhanced response to intimate partner violence.
BACKGROUND
A theoretically based intimate partner violence in-service program was developed, implemented, and evaluated among public health nurses.


METHODS
A two-phase, mixed-methods design was used. Phase 1 used qualitative methods for content development of the in-service program. Phase 2 used a one-group pretest-posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.


RESULTS
In Phase 1, nurses perceived a need for knowledge about community intimate partner violence prevention resources and enhancement of interviewing skills. In Phase 2, no significant difference was noted in level of intimate partner violence knowledge between pretest and posttest (p < .107). However, a significant difference in skill level was noted between pretest and posttest (p < .003).


CONCLUSIONS
Results support the use of an in-service program as an effective method of enhancing the intimate partner violence clinical skills of nurses.
Davila
Yolanda R
YR
University of Michigan, School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0482, USA.
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003479:Curriculum; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019359:Knowledge; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011588:Psychology, Educational; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires