Enhancing Emergency Nurses Forensic Care for Interpersonal Violence Survivors: A Mixed Methods Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Forensic Nursing
• Public Health

Background:

• Interpersonal violence survivors have complex needs often unmet due to inadequate nurse training.
• Emergency department (ED) nurses require specialized skills for effective care.
• Vulnerable populations necessitate targeted and comprehensive nursing interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore ED nurses' experiences with interpersonal violence survivors.
• To revise an interpersonal violence (IPV) training module based on nurse feedback.
• To evaluate the impact of a revised training program on nurses' knowledge.

Main Methods:

• A two-phase mixed-methods study involving ED nurses in a U.S.-Mexico border region.
• Semi-structured interviews to gather qualitative data on nursing experiences.
• Revision of a forensic evidence collection training program incorporating best practices and feedback.
• Pretraining and posttraining knowledge assessments for nurses.

Main Results:

• Six nurses' interviews yielded key themes in survivor care.
• 65 nurses completed the revised training across two cohorts.
• Significant knowledge score increases observed: Cohort 1 (39.6% to 80.0%), Cohort 2 (49.5% to 82.1%).

Conclusions:

• Integrating nurse feedback into training significantly enhances knowledge.
• Revised forensic evidence collection training improves IPV survivor care practices.
• Targeted training is crucial for addressing the unique needs of interpersonal violence survivors.