Conceptualizing Domestic Violence Within Clinical Documentation

Dados Bibliográficos

ID15736770
AutoresMaría Atiénzar-Prieto (0009-0006-5021-3233, University of the Sunshine Coast), Shannon Dhollande (0000-0003-3181-7606, Central Queensland University, autor correspondente), Salome Meyer (0000-0003-3964-042X, Griffith University), Silke Meyer (0000-0002-9463-4770, Griffith University, Meadowbrook, QLD, Australia), Diksha Sapkota (0000-0002-2122-8747, Griffith University), Karen‐Ann Clarke (0000-0003-3578-547X, University of the Sunshine Coast), Karen-Ann Clarke (University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia)
Ano2024
Volume11
Páginas23333936241271165-23333936241271165
Data de publicação2024-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoGlobal Qualitative Nursing Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2333-3936 • E-ISSN: 2333-3936
EditoraSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/23333936241271165
PMID39483275
OpenAlexW4403391669
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas34

Domestic and family violence (DFV) is a global issue with significant impacts on victim-survivors. The emergency department (ED) serves as the initial point of contact for victim-survivors. Given the significant role that clinical notes play in the management of patients and the communication between healthcare professionals, understanding how healthcare practitioners describe and document abuse reported in emergency settings is crucial. Yet, there remains a gap in understanding how health professional document DFV in the medical records of women presenting to the ED. Therefore, this qualitative descriptive study explored how DFV is documented in patient records of women presenting to the ED. Clinical notes from healthcare workers, including medical practitioners, nurses, social workers, mental health clinicians and ambulance officers, were qualitatively analyzed. Overall, the study included 43 presentations from 32 women (aged 18-56 years old) who visited a regional ED, during which instances of DFV were noted. An inductive content analysis resulted in the identification of four categories, including (a) DFV articulated in direct speech, (b) Unambiguous DFV, (c) Unconfirmed DFV, and (d) Problematic relationship. Although most references to DFV in the clinical notes included direct quotations from the patient's descriptions of abuse or were documented unambiguously by healthcare professionals, a notable number of clinical notes exhibited a degree of caution or reluctance to acknowledge DFV dynamics when describing these events. These findings support the need for sustained and consistent professional training among healthcare professionals concerning the identification, documentation, and response to disclosures, suspicions, and allegations of DFV to better support victim-survivors presenting to the ED and other hospital settings

Documentation · Domestic violence · Emergency department · Family medicine · Health care · Health professionals · Medical emergency · Medical record · Poison control · Political science · Suicide prevention · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology