Citation

Du Mont J, MacDonald S, White M, Turner L, White D, Kaplan S, Smith T. J. Forensic Nurs. 2014; 10(3): 122-134.

Affiliation

Author Affiliations: 1Women's College Research Institute, Women's College Hospital; 2Dalla Lana School of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto; 3Ontario Network of Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatments Centres; 4Trent University; 5Cornwall Community Hospital; 6SickKids, The Hospital for Sick Children; and 7Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, International Association of Forensic Nurses, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1097/JFN.0000000000000035

PMID

25144583

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: There is still little known about survivors' experiences of and satisfaction with comprehensive nursing-led hospital-based sexual assault and domestic violence treatment programs.

METHOD: To address this gap, we surveyed and collected information from clients/guardians presenting to 30 of 35 of Ontario's Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centres across seven domains: presentation characteristics, client characteristics, assailant characteristics, assault characteristics, health consequences, service use, and satisfaction with services.

RESULTS: One thousand four hundred eighty-four clients participated in the study, 96% of whom were women/girls. Most were White (75.3%), 12-44 years old (87.8%), and living with family (69.6%); 97.9% of clients used at least one service. The most commonly used service was assessment and/or documentation of injury (84.8%), followed by on-site follow-up care (73.6%). Almost all clients/guardians reported that they received the care needed (98.6%), rated the overall care as excellent or good (98.8%), and stated that the care had been provided in a sensitive manner (95.4%). Concerns and recommendations to improve care expressed by a small proportion of clients/guardians focused on long wait times, negative emergency department staff attitudes, issues of privacy and confidentiality, and difficulty with accessing services.

DISCUSSION: The high uptake and positive evaluation of services provided by Ontario's Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centre programs confirms the value of nursing-led, hospital-based care in the aftermath of sexual assault and domestic violence. Ongoing evaluation of such services will ensure the best care possible for this patient population.

Language: en