ABSTRACT
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a health epidemic. Health care professionals have a unique and critical role to play. It is expected that health care providers have the ability to engage in an informed response to IPV, which is crucial to the safety of the woman, improving health outcomes, and preventing further violence. Screening procedures for IPV, along with the awareness of abuse indicators, have the potential to significantly identify women who have been exposed to IPV. Identification of IPV will enable the health care provider to offer support, build trust, validate concerns, and offer community resources.
Subject(s)
Intimate Partner Violence/prevention & control , Female , Humans , Male , Mass Screening , Surveys and Questionnaires , Women's Health ServicesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study assessed South Carolina nurses' perceived knowledge of emergency preparedness to gain a better understanding of their learning needs and to prioritize continuing education and training efforts based on these needs. METHODS: Boone's programming model concept of planning provided the framework for this study, which used a descriptive correlational design and the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire (EPIQ). Data from 207 eligible survey participants were analyzed. RESULTS: Nurses showed an overall low level of self-reported knowledge of emergency preparedness. Nurses reported being most familiar with triage and least familiar with clinical decision making in epidemiology and biological agents. CONCLUSION: By prioritizing learning needs based on a needs assessment and accommodating learning preferences, a systematic and planned approach to educating nurses about this extremely important topic can be implemented to significantly strengthen nurses' ability to respond to disaster events competently and effectively.
