Citation

Bakon S, Taylor A, Meyer S, Scott M. Emerg. Nurse 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, RCN Publishing)

DOI

10.7748/en.2019.e1950

PMID

31549493

Abstract

This integrative review is the first of a two-part series about intimate partner violence (IPV). Part 2 will explore strategies to address barriers to the care of women who experience IPV in the emergency department (ED). IPV has become a major concern globally and specifically in Australia. Healthcare professionals in the ED are often the first point of contact for women experiencing IPV and therefore the provision of a comprehensive healthcare response to these vulnerable patients remains a priority. The review evaluated healthcare professionals' approaches to the care of women who present to the ED with injuries related to IPV. A systematic search of studies was undertaken using four databases. After the selection process, a total of 24 articles was identified. Six themes emerged: IPV care protocols, physical care provision, psychosocial care provision, provision of safety, role of referrals and barriers to appropriate care provision. There is a lack of evidence supporting healthcare approaches in the ED to address IPV. ED healthcare professionals experience numerous barriers that hinder their ability to provide patient-centred care, which suggests that patients presenting with IPV-related concerns may not be receiving adequate or appropriate healthcare in ED settings.

© 2019 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

Language: en

Keywords

domestic abuse; domestic violence; emergency care; patient safety; patients; sexually transmitted infections; women’s health