Effect of an Intimate Partner Violence Educational Program on the Attitudes of Nurses

• Published in: Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing Vol. 33; no. 5; pp. 572 - 579
• Main Authors: Schoening, Anne M., Greenwood, Jullie L., McNichols, Jackie A., Heermann, Judith A., Agrawal, Sangeeta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Elsevier Inc 01.09.2004; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Attitudes; Battered Women; Curriculum - standards; Domestic violence; Employment training programs; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Inservice Training; Intimate partner violence; IPV; Middle Aged; Nurse's Role; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing Assessment; Nursing education; Nursing Education Research; Obstetric Nursing - education; Obstetric Nursing - standards; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - nursing; Risk Factors; Spouse Abuse - prevention & control; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Urban Population; Attitudes; Domestic violence; Nursing education; Intimate partner violence; IPV
• ISSN: 0884-2175; 1552-6909
• DOI: 10.1177/0884217504269901

To examine the effect of an intimate partner violence (IPV) educational program on the attitudes of nurses toward victims. A quasi‐experimental study utilizing a pretest and posttest. An urban health care system. Fifty‐two inpatient nurses completed both the pretest and posttest. One‐hour and 3‐hour IPV educational programs. Change in attitude was determined by scores from the Public Health Nurses’ Response to Women Who Are Abused (PHNR), a standardized questionnaire that measures nurses’ reactions to an IPV scenario. Parallel forms, each with a different scenario, were administered before and 2 months after the 1‐hour and 3‐hour educational sessions. Scores were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance followed by multiple comparisons with Bonferroni adjustments. Nurses’ PHNR scores increased significantly after attending the 1‐hour session if they had previous IVP education and after the 3‐hour session if they had no previous IVP education. Educational offerings should be tailored for nurses. For nurses with previous IVP education, offer a 1‐hour update. For nurses with no previous IVP education, provide a 3‐hour educational session. Further study is needed to determine if change in nurses’ attitudes translates into improved screening, identification, and intervention for IPV victims.