A training programme for Taiwan nurses to improve child abuse reporting.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Child Protection
• Public Health

Background:

• Child abuse and neglect are prevalent global issues requiring effective reporting mechanisms.
• A significant majority of nurses identify a need for specialized training in child abuse and neglect.
• Previous research has established a foundation for self-efficacy-based training in this domain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement a training program for nurses focused on child abuse and neglect reporting.
• To evaluate the program's effectiveness in enhancing nurses' self-efficacy in identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect cases.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design involving 80 clinical nurses (40 experimental, 40 control).
• Pretest, post-test, and follow-up assessments of self-efficacy in reporting child abuse and neglect.
• Analysis of covariance was used to determine program effectiveness, controlling for demographic variables.

Main Results:

• The experimental group showed significant improvements across all six subscales of self-efficacy compared to the control group.
• Post-training self-efficacy scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than pre-training scores.
• The training program demonstrated a positive impact on nurses' confidence and competence in reporting.

Conclusions:

• The designed training program is effective in boosting nurses' self-efficacy for reporting child abuse and neglect.
• This enhanced self-efficacy is linked to improved reporting behaviors, highlighting the program's clinical relevance.
• The program is a valuable tool for increasing nurse competence and confidence in addressing child abuse and neglect.