The lived experience of nurse practitioners caring for victims of domestic violence

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV) is a major health care problem. Providing care for victims of domestic violence is a multifaceted experience. Nurse practitioners are faced with the daily challenges of providing medical and social services, coordinating quality care, and ensuring safety for these victims. As health care providers, nurse practitioners are forced to uncover the truth about abuse, accept new roles and responsibilities, and move forward as they care for these victims. Furthermore, there is a renewal of commitment to their role as a nurse practitioner, maintaining devotion and caring for victims ofDV even when victims decide to return to the abuse. In this phenomenological study, three nurse practitioners who care for victims of DV were interviewed. The results of this study help to gain a better understanding of their lived experiences so that clinicians may provide care that addresses the unique concerns of both victims of DV and health care providers, establishing direction to the long-term goal of improved health, through specialization of resources and sensitive outcome evaluation, for both the victim and health care provider.