Intimate Partner Violence Education
An individual’s current (or past) experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) impacts their physical, mental, emotional and reproductive/sexual health. In home visitation programs, public health nurses are strongly positioned to identify and assess, and then in collaboration with the client, implement a tailored plan of support, that prioritizes safety for the individual experiencing violence (and their children). As part of their professional practice, it is therefore critical that public 
health nurses have the knowledge and skills to identify and assess for IPV, respond appropriately to disclosures of violence, and work collaboratively to develop, implement and evaluate tailored plans of care to meet the client’s needs.
For public health units looking to develop or revise local orientation or professional development programs on the topic of “intimate partner violence,” we have developed a sample curriculum to assist with your planning. This curriculum includes examples of learning outcomes, teaching strategies (including links to evidence-informed, Canadian-developed, free e-learning modules and some US-based foundational content), and links to PHN-PREP practice resources.
If your public health unit is interested in a workshop on any of these topics, tailored to your team’s needs, or requires information on how public health nurses can be certified to administer and score the Danger Assessment, please contact Dr. Susan Jack ([email protected])
Prioritizing Safety: Applying Trauma-and Violence-Informed Care Principles When Working with Individuals Experiencing Violence
Identification and Assessment of Intimate Partner Violence
Responding Safely to Disclosures of Intimate Partner Violence
Nursing Interventions to Respond to Intimate Partner Violence
Organizational Supports (Including guidance for documentation)
Tips for Coordinating IPV Education
1. Develop an agency policy to address IPV. As part of the policy, outline that the provision of education to support staff to identify and respond to IPV is an organizational priority.
2. Identify an “IPV Champion” within the organization who is interested in keeping “up-to-date” on the evidence and best practices.
3. Utilize the IPV Champion to coordinate or facilitate the education sessions. This ensures that orientation/training processes are consistent and informed by best practices.
4. Building relationships between the IPV Champion and staff is important. Learning about IPV can be difficult. Having the IPV Champion meet with staff over a few sessions can be helpful, and then staff also have a “go-to” person to consult with when they are experiencing challenging clinical situations.
5. Take time to identify community resources available to support individuals/families experiencing violence. Meet the key contacts and learn what their organizations offer – and what it is like for a client to access their services.
6. Create opportunities for staff to reflect on experiences from their practice and to share with their peers how they responded to different situations (or to ask for suggestions from peers).
Jody Shepherd, RN BScN CCHN (C), Public Health Nurse Middlesex-London Health Unit
Relevant Publications
Jack, S.M., Kimber, M., Davidov, D., Ford-Gilboe, M., Wathen, C.N., McKee, C., Tanaka, M., Boyle, M., Johnston, C., Coben, J., Gasbarro, M., McNaughton, D., O’Brien, R., Olds, D.L., Scribano, P., & MacMillan, H.L. (2021). Nurse-Family Partnership nurses’ attitudes and confidence in identifying and responding to intimate partner violence; A mixed methods evaluation. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(9), 3894-3910. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14979
Seymour, R.J, & Jack, S.M. (2021). Intimate partner violence educational programmes may improve healthcare professionals’ knowledge of and readiness to respond to women’s experiences of violence [Commentary]. Evidence-Based Nursing. Doi:10.1136/ebnurs-2021-103457