Educating Nurses to Screen and Intervene for Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a problem affecting women and families across the nation, and it has been associated with adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Here we describe how our team implemented an evidence-based protocol for the screening of pregnant women for IPV and case management for those experiencing violence. This protocol was implemented on an antepartum triage unit where nurses were educated on IPV, methods for screening pregnant women, and a brief intervention. Education included an online module and a live session with role-playing exercises. Test scores indicated a significant increase in nurses' knowledge after completion of the module, and the overall educational program was rated as excellent by program participants. As part of the project, the Abuse Assessment Screen and the Danger Assessment-5-two instruments with predictive validity-were incorporated into the electronic health record.