Munchausen syndrome by proxy: an exploratory study of pediatric nurses' knowledge and involvement

The awareness and involvement of pediatric nurses in the type of child abuse known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) was explored in this study. A questionnaire assessing knowledge about and extent of involvement in the identification of MSBP cases and demographic information was completed by 320 registered nurses (RNS) employed at a children's hospital. Fewer than half of the subjects (47%) responded that they had heard of MSBP. Those who had heard of MSBP demonstrated only a moderate level of knowledge of the signs and signals of the syndrome. Thirty-four percent of those nurses who had heard of MSBP had been involved in the detection of cases. Findings suggest that it might be important for pediatric hospitals to include information about MSBP in their own required classes or in-house seminars.