Guidelines for the care of abused women: the least we can do

Approximately 3 to 4 million women are battered by their partners each year. Nurses encounter women who are abused, in the hospital, clinics, physician's offices, and home. Since 1992, several national professional and government organizations have written guidelines for the care of abused women for healthcare providers. Using these guidelines, it is recommended that home care agencies and home care nurses do the following: educate and train all home care personnel about the problem of domestic violence; routinely screen and assess all women for domestic violence; acknowledge the abuse; give basic information; strengthen liaisons with community resources to establish a referral network; and document assessments and care. You do not need to be a psychiatric nurse or a trained counselor to help, but you do need to AID EARLY.