Intimate Partner Violence Standardized Patient Simulation for Nurse Practitioner Students

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health threat in the United States, affecting millions of individuals and families. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing recommends that nursing programs, both baccalaureate and graduate, provide students didactic training and clinical experience in the assessment and management of IPV. Our goal was to expose Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) students and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students to a simulated IPV scenario so they are prepared to respond appropriately to a survivor's disclosure of IPV when they begin clinical practice.

We integrated a patient simulation scenario into our PMHNP and FNP curriculum. A combined group of PMHNP and FNP students participated in a simulation in which the standardized patient provided an unlikely explanation for her injuries. If students inquired about abuse, the patient revealed that she had experienced IPV. A pre- and posttest survey was used to evaluate student knowledge gain before and after the participating in the scenario. A Related Samples Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used to evaluate the results.

Compared with pretest scores, students demonstrated improved confidence in screening for IPV as well as responding to a disclosure of IPV.

Simulation provides a method to enhance student knowledge of incidence, risk, and best practices in relation to the screening, assessment and management of IPV.