Intimate Partner Violence Screening: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Knowledge, Perceptions, and Practice

Abstract

Those who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) seek health care more frequently due to a multitude of health consequences. Healthcare providers are an essential entry point to identify victims. However, rates of routine universal screening among healthcare clinicians are low, and most do not respond effectively to positive reports. This project was a descriptive survey study. The primary aims were to identify the reported rate of IPV screening among advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in the United States and to assess associations between readiness for screening (or adequate knowledge, positive perceptions, and other facilitators) and reported screening practices. Secondary aims were to find knowledge gaps and practice barriers. The survey tool was a modified version of the Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence (PREMIS instrument) by Short et al. (2006). Respondents were midwives, women’s health nurse practitioners, and family nurse practitioners. Reported screening rates among APRNs were similar to or higher than rates reported in past research in APRNs, physicians, and other healthcare workers. However, the major knowledge gap identified was how to appropriately respond to positive reports of IPV. While not correlated with knowledge of IPV, practice issue scores were significantly positively correlated with the opinion scales of preparation (r = .350, p