ABSTRACT
Introduction: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious and preventable public health problem. Nurses are at the front lines of assessing and intervening with patients subjected to IPV. Lack of training and confidence is cited as a major barrier to assessing for IPV.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a standardized patient (SP) simulation experience depicting a victim of IPV on undergraduate nursing student knowledge and confidence in assessment and intervention of IPV.
Methods: The Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey tool was adapted to measure confidence, and a 10-item multiple-choice test was developed to measure knowledge, completed pretest, postlecture, and post-SP simulation.
Results: There was a statistically significant increase in confidence from pretest to postlecture, 14.04 (SD = 3.01) to 20.61 (SD = 2.39), F(1, 56) = 345, p < 0.001, to postsimulation, 14.04-21.93 (SD = 2.18), F(1, 56) = 21.1, p < 0.001. Only statistically significant increases in knowledge occurred from pretest to postlecture, 6.96 (SD = 1.36) to 7.95 (SD = 1.47), F(1,56) = 29.84, p < 0.001. Increase in knowledge from postlecture to postsimulation was not found to be statistically significant, 7.95 (SD = 1.47) to 8.05 (SD = 1.27), F(1,56) = 0.632, p > 0.10.
Conclusion: Healthcare professionals need to be adequately educated and trained to screen for IPV. This study provides preliminary evidence that the addition of an SP simulation appears to enhance nursing student confidence and knowledge of assessing and intervening with victims of IPV.