Incorporation of Sexual Violence in Nursing Curricula Using Trauma-Informed Care: A Case Study

One in five women will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. As a consequence of this violence, survivors face health care concerns such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and gynecologic problems. Nurses are at the forefront of health care delivery to survivors of sexual violence, yet literature about nursing curricula addressing sexual violence is scant.

A holistic, single-case study from a student survivor about the impact of sexual violence, being taught from a trauma-informed care perspective, is presented.

The powerful case study highlights the personal and professional benefits stemming from a sexual violence curriculum being taught from a trauma-informed care lens. The student survivor reports personal growth and an understanding of herself, as well as a new framework with which to care for patients who have experienced sexual violence.

In preparation to deliver care to sexual violence survivors, students must be educated about the prevalence, long-term sequela, and health care needs of survivors, which can be effectively done using the model of trauma-informed care. The student's case suggests that discussing sexual violence is imperative for one's own healing and contribution to the nursing profession.