Developing hospital-based domestic violence programs, protocols, policies, and procedures

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Administration
• Public Health
• Nursing

Background:

• Growing interest in hospital-based domestic violence (DV) programs, protocols, and policies.
• Driven by national nursing, medical, and hospital accreditation organizations' initiatives.
• DV is a significant nursing concern, with nurses leading services for battered women.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide guidance for developing specialized health services for DV survivors.
• To expedite the creation of DV protocols, policies, and procedures in hospitals.
• To assist hospitals in complying with healthcare accreditation guidelines.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing existing protocols, policies, and procedures for DV services.
• Sharing experiences from developing two established hospital-based DV programs.
• Providing a reference list of sample DV protocols and policy/procedure documents.

Main Results:

• Highlights the need for preprogram data collection and multidisciplinary support.
• Emphasizes patient and staff safety, specific program services, and staff supervision.
• Offers practical insights for implementing successful hospital-based DV programs.

Conclusions:

• Implementing suggested strategies enhances hospital compliance with accreditation standards.
• Hospital-based DV programs are crucial for supporting survivors and meeting healthcare quality benchmarks.
• Nurses play a pivotal role in the development and implementation of these vital services.