Nursing care of domestic violence victims in acute and critical care settings

Nursing care of domestic violence victims has focused on emergency settings, primary health-care settings, and mental health-care settings. Nurses in other acute and critical care settings also care for domestic violence victims, though the focus of nursing care may be confined to the medical reason for the person's hospital stay. However, as we come to fully appreciate the psychobiologic nature of health, illness, and healing, it becomes clear that abuse and violence in a patient's home life holds consequences for one's current and future well-being. Though hospital stays are often brief, important groundwork can be accomplished to identify and assist patients involved in abusive relationships.