Inadequate Training for UK Nurses in Domestic Abuse: A Report

This report examines the adequacy of training provided to UK nurses in identifying and caring for women experiencing domestic abuse. It highlights the issue within clinical practice, current local and national policies, and professional and clinical guidelines. The significance of this issue to current healthcare practices is discussed, emphasizing the physical and psychological impact on victims. Strategies to overcome the identified shortcomings in training are proposed, including the need for specialized knowledge to handle various forms of domestic abuse, such as physical, emotional, and psychological abuse. The report underscores the importance of providing nurses with the necessary skills to offer effective medical and emotional support to victims, while also adhering to legal and ethical responsibilities. Desklib provides access to this and other solved assignments for students.

UK nurses do not receive
adequate training to identify and
care for women in domestic abuse

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Issue in clinical practice.........................................................................................................1
Current local and national policy...........................................................................................3
Professional and clinical guidelines.......................................................................................5
Significance of the issue to current practice or healthcare.....................................................7
Strategies to overcome with the issue....................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Lack of training among nursing staff refers to lack of appropriate knowledge level ad clinical
skills which are essential to deal with patients. It includes the problem of developing inaccuracy
in practices or nurses and their decision making which impact negative on patient condition.
However, it has been analysed that professionals are required to be encouraged to follow
professionals’ standards and legislations in terms of providing better quality of services
(McGarry, Simpson and Hinsliff-Smith, 2014). In context of this assignment, it is based on the
topic of ‘UK nurses do not receive adequate training to identify and care for women in domestic
abuse”. This project will focus on the problem of nurses of given country in respect of gaining
learning to deliver effective care for women suffering from domestic abuse. It will also include
current local and national policy for specific issue in clinical practice. The professional and
clinical guidelines with significance of current issue along with strategies to overcome are given
below.
MAIN BODY
Issue in clinical practice
“UK nurses do not receive adequate training to identify and care for women in domestic abuse.”
Domestic abuse can be explained about the condition in which bodily harm or injury occurs to
family or household member. As per views of MW and Appleton (2016), it includes to beat or
intent to cause fear in another of immediate harm to human body or death. Basically, it is known
to be an intentional infliction, or attempted infliction of bodily harm upon another. It involves the
condition of domestic violence which is any kind of behaviour for reason of acquiring power as
well as control over a spouse, partner or intimate family member. This type of condition is
caused due to number of factors such as anger, mental problems, drugs or alcohol or other
common excuses. However, it has been analysed that women were mostly get suffered from
domestic abuse or assault to which specific clinical practices are required to be carried out by
nursing staff in UK for welfare of them. It is necessary to establish more effective as well as
efficient clinical practices in respect of delivering facilities for wellbeing of such patients. In this
article, the qualitative research method is used to gather appropriate data which provide support
to gain accurate findings about the topic. It includes the utilisation of secondary sources
1

including books, journals, articles, newspapers, magazines etc. However, the data and
information collected by WHO is considered to attain desired findings of study.
On the other hand, it is observed that women who were suffering from domestic abuse then most
of them were suffered from physical injuries as well as psychological disorders. These kind of
harmful conditions are responsible for developing extreme level of fear and disturbed mental
health condition of an individual which needs to provide counselling to make them stable along
with providing medications to overcome with the same. However, the domestic abuse can be
categorised into several categories such as physical abuse by kitting slapping, shoving, grabbing,
pinching, biting, hair pulling and so on. It involves sexual abuse which includes coercing or
attempting to coerce any sexual contact without consent, marital rape, forcing sex, attacks on
sexual parts of the body etc. In addition to this, it consist emotional, economic and psychological
abuse for which specific practices are required to conduct for making person stable. Moreover, it
is essential for hospital management to provide specific training for nursing staff to deal with
physical injuries. Emotional disturbances and psychological problems occurred due to domestic
abuse.
The UK nurses needs to gain specific knowledge to deal with every particular kind of domestic
abuse to deliver more accurate services for better health of women. Al‐Natour, Qandil and
Gillespie (2016) states that it is observed that females may acquire severe physical and mental
health issues. Many times, it has been identified that some of females become much more fearful
as they were not able to face anyone to remain close to them. In such cases, it is necessary
separate and effective training for nurses so that they can deal with these cases in appropriate
manner. The lack of training and learning programs for nurses is responsible for developing
complicated condition because they were not able to handle severe cases of domestic abuse. It is
required to proper knowledge about such mental conditions acquired due to domestic abuse to
make patient feel comfortable to provide medications and treatment. Sometimes, few of patients
become abusive and violent then they cannot be managed by untrained nurses but only specified
and trained mental health nurses can handle them properly. In context of this article, the
descriptive phenomenological design is used to conduct effective study by considering sample of
12 respondents including males and female nurses. It includes the utilisation of semi structured
and face to face interview to collect desired information. However, the Colaizzi’s
2

phenomenological method is considered along with qualitative data for investigation to gain
accurate findings.
In context of UK, it has been analysed that nursing staff did not gain an adequate training that is
responsible for creating difficulties for them to deal with women suffering from domestic abuse.
According to Ansari and Boyle (2017), it includes the criterion of developing problems for them
in order to diagnose the actual health problems for providing appropriate treatment. It is required
identify health issues and specific needs according to which accurate decision can be made in
terms of delivering care facilities. However, it is observed that there is a lack of knowledge and
skills among nurses that how to deal with specific cases of domestic abuse among women as they
may have suffered from physical, emotional, sexual, psychological or mental abuse. This
condition is critical because lack of training among nursing staff generate risk of occurring drug
errors and medication mistakes which make situation of patient more complicated. It is necessary
for higher authorities of healthcare sector focus on this aspect in order to deliver effective
medical services for attaining better health of women having problem of domestic abuse. It
involves the use of secondary sources including Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and
Cochrane Library to collect required data which helps to achieve appropriate findings.
Current local and national policy
In context of UK, it has been analysed that local and national policies should be established
which encourage training sessions among nurses. As mentioned by Baird and et. al., (2018), it is
observed that local policies consider the condition that domestic abuse in which victim may have
severe injury so that nursing staff should render care facilities immediately. They should take
care that further complication will not be acquired by patient but proceed to recovery. It include
another policy that nurses should take immediate action clinically in order to examine condition
of domestic abuse victim to deliver appropriate medications and report the same to legal bodies.
However, it involves the local policy that care professionals should provide care facilities
immediately along with providing moral support respectively. Women who were faced domestic
violence can approach from nearby care homes to gain desired treatment and medications for
their wellbeing. In addition to this, there is an important local policy that people who observed
attempt of domestic violence nearby them and they can immediately get the victim to hospital for
their treatment as soon as possible. Moreover, nursing staff has a duty to not only provide
medications or care but they have responsibility to provide emotional strength to victim. It
3

consist the local policy through which people who observed domestic violence attempt can call
the ambulance during the incident happen and they can put effort to save the women who were
domestically assaulted by her partner or spouse. It can be consider as a right and responsibility of
every citizen to report such incidents as soon as possible to nearby healthcare organisation to
make victim healthy.
In addition this, these local policies are observed to be much effective in terms of reducing the
occurrence of domestic violence in country. Bradbury‐Jones, Clark and Taylor (2017) conduct
study that it is a threat for society due to which they are not able to spend their live in
comfortable manner. It is necessary for state government to make rules and regulations stricter so
that effective training should be provided to nurses in terms of dealing with domestic abuse
patients. Meanwhile, these local policies are favourable for victims of domestic violence in
country to get medical services immediately in order to gain quick care to overcome with
physical injuries as well as emotional wounds. They are much sufficient to make hospital
management motivated to provide help of nurses by providing learning sessions for providing
care to victims of domestic violence. It is necessary to make nursing staff aware that they should
improve emotional and moral strength of patient that impact positively on their health condition.
National policy involves the Domestic violence disclosure scheme which should be considered
by nursing staff as well as every citizen of the country. It includes the criterion of visiting police
stations and make call on 101 and speaking to member of police on the street to make them
inform about attempt of domestic violence. However, nurses needs to gain training of following
procedure of providing clinical treatment as well as informing the legal bodies as well about the
incident because they have responsibility of patient. As per opinion of Salami and Nelson (2014),
it is necessary for nurses and other medical professionals to immediately call the police and
explain the entire scenario so that culprit of the incident will be punished appropriately. Lack of
training is responsible for developing state of confusion regarding initial steps for welfare of
victim in correct manner. They were not capable to make decision about whether they have to
first treat the victim or they should call the police before starting the clinical process. However,
effective training sessions are must for nurses so that they can make decision of starting
treatment according to severity of patient among with calling police to give them all the details
of specific case.
4

Domestic violence, crime and victim act, 2004 is included among national policy of UK
according to which domestic violence is a legal offence for which criminal justice should be
provided to the victim in appropriate way. Krouwel and et. al., (2015) states that it includes the
criterion of evaluating criminal activities related to domestic violence in terms of reducing the
same. The nursing staff should be trained for encouraging women to disclose about domestic
violence in order to avoid severe situation of having complicated injuries. However, it will
provide support to remove delayed services in care homes by making nurses more active and
knowledgeable respectively.
According to the national policy of domestic abuse in UK, it has been evaluated that victim can
apply for the settlement of their own right so that they become capable to spend their whole life
with safety as well as comfort level. It includes another advantage that nurses can suggest victim
can get access to get benefits and other support materials like funds for their treatment if they
don’t have money for their treatment. The nursing should get training of gain information about
strategies to encourage women that help to reduce domestic violence. Government has establish
policy in which nurses are instructed to encourage women to disclose about domestic violence
happen with them so that this complicated threat of the society can be eliminated. When nurses
motivate females to share about negative attempts happening with then in their houses then only
it can be effectively prevented in the nation.
Professional and clinical guidelines
Professional guidelines for nursing staff should be conveyed in every healthcare organisations
and make sure that they follow by professionals while dealing with patients. It includes number
of professionals’ standards in order to deliver better quality of care facilities that facilitates to
enhance patient outcomes respectively. Basically, it involves number of codes which must be
considered by every registered nurse while diagnosing health problems and need in order to treat
the same effectively. It consist the nursing codes such as prioritise people, practice effectively,
preserve safely and promote professionalism & trust while providing care domestic abuse
victims. As mentioned by Milgrom and Gemmill (2014), it involves following professional
values including care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment.
Meanwhile, it consist the criterion of following domains in order to deliver effective care like
professional values, Communication & interpersonal skills, nursing practice & decision making
and management & team working. However, it includes the criterion of following P’s of nursing
5

while providing care facilities for domestic violence victims involving pain, potty, position and
periphery. It is necessary for nursing staff to specifically, consider all the professional codes as
well as values at the time of dealing with women who were facing domestic assault. It will
provide support to increase accuracy of treatment decision and improve patient outcomes
accordingly.
In addition to this, there are various kinds of legislations such as equality act 2010, Health &
social care act 2012, care act 2012, data protection act 2018 and many more. According to
McKinney and et. al., (2017), Equality act is responsible for encouraging delivery of services in
equal way among victims of domestic abuse. Meanwhile, Health & social care inform nursing
staff that they are responsible for every positive and negative aspect happened with patients
during the treatment so that they should remain extra careful while making of decision of
delivering appropriate medications for they better health. Care act and data protection for
securing relevant information of victims in respect of avoiding societal issues for them.
However, ethical principles are also required to be considered by nursing employees like
dignity, integrity, autonomy, altruism, social justice, beneficence, non-maleficence, fidelity,
veracity and fairness. It is necessary to focus on health maximisation, efficiency, respect for
autonomy, justice and proportionality.
Principles of nursing
Principle 1 Legal compliance
Principle 2 Person centred care
Principle 3 Cultural practice and respectful relationships
Principle 4 Professional behaviour
Principle 5 Teaching, supervising and assessing
Principle 6 Research in health
Principle 7 Health & well-being
Quality statement by NICE as guidelines
Quality statement 1 Assessing medicines support needs
Quality statement 2 Communicating that medications supported has started
Quality statement 3 Recording medicine support needs
Quality statement 4 Managing medicines related problems
6

According to the quality standards of CQC (Care quality commission) such as person centred
care, dignity & respect, consent, safety, safeguarding client from abuse, Mange food & drink for
patient, maintain premises & equipment, complaints, good governance, staffing, fit & proper
staff, duty of candour and display of ratings. However, it involves to several steps which should
be followed by registered nurse while delivering care to domestic assault victims in United
Kingdom. As per views of McVicar (2016), it includes thinking critically and carrying out
analysis of nursing practices for specific case of patient. Secondly, it consists to involve
therapeutic as well as professional relationships. Thirdly, it is necessary to put efforts for
maintaining the ability in order to conduct clinical practice and procedures. However, it involves
the criterion of carrying out assessments and diagnosis of specific health issue or need of client
in comprehensive manner. In addition to this, it is required to establish more effective as well as
efficient plan of action in terms of conducting nursing practice for wellbeing of victim of
domestic abuse. Meanwhile, it consists to render secure, accurate and responsive quality of
nursing practices. Moreover, it is important to evaluate outputs for informing about nursing
practices that are to be carried out for treating health problem of patient.
Significance of the issue to current practice or healthcare
The identification of specific problem or issues is sufficient in terms of encouraging focus
towards it for developing effective strategies to overcome with the same. It includes conduct an
effective analysis of facts and findings related to lack of training of nurses in respect of dealing
with victims of domestic violence. Basically, this problem has been disclosed among higher
authorities of healthcare authorities who gain their attention to take strong actions for it. It is
necessary for management of every hospital to provide specific training and learning in order to
make them capable to handle severe cases of domestic violence to provide accurate treatment. It
includes their skills of making quick and appropriate decision so that patient will get correct
treatment and medications in terms of supporting them to recover from the problem. Government
can also come in influence to provide sufficient amounts of funds for organising training sessions
which helps nursing staff to deal with mild and severe cases of domestic violence and women
wellbeing.
On the other hand, it has been analysed that significance of developing the issues related to lack
of training among nursing staff which results negatively on condition of domestic abuse victims.
7

Du Mont and et. al. (2014) conduct study that it will encourage approach of continuing
professional development which is beneficial for nurses dealing with women facing domestic
assault by considering desired factors. It includes considering the developing healthcare
assistants and assistant practitioners while providing learning sessions. It will make them more
knowledgeable that facilitate to deliver accurate medical facilities to victims welfare. However, it
is essential to provide training for all the graduate level professionals’ o that their clinical
practices can be improved for gaining better outcomes of patients. The significance of evaluating
the problem of lack of training is favourable to encourage the setting of benchmarks for
performance of nursing staff to deal with domestic violence victims to enhance efforts of
professionals that is beneficial for wellness of patients.
Strategies to overcome with the issue
The lack of training among nurses dealing with domestic violence victims is major issue
because it has number of severe cases which are difficult to be addressed. According to Hallett
(2014), it is necessary for professionals to have high level of knowledge and abilities to manage
condition of patient with severe conditions. Basically, it is necessary for higher management of
healthcare organisations to establish effective strategies to solve the problem of training between
nurses so that they will effectively treat patient suffered from domestic abuse. The efforts and
effective focus on higher authorities of healthcare sector as well as government is mandatory to
potentially enhance training criterion of nursing staff. It will provide support to them to acquire
efficient skills in order to deliver better quality of services to domestic abuse victims for their
proper health condition. Some of strategies that can be applied for overcome with problem of
lack of training among nurse in UK that is given here.
Regular training programs – This can be defined to conduct regular training programs by
evaluating specific learning need of nurse working with victims of domestic abuse. It is
necessary to first take suggestion from nursing staff about their needs of learning according to
which appropriate learning programs should be organise. However, it will facilitate to boost up
skills and information level of employees that make the able to accurately diagnose problem of
patients and deliver better quality of treatment facilities.
Regular knowledge sessions – The knowledge level is required to be updated of nurses because
new and complicated cases arrived day by day. These knowledgeable sessions are favourable to
deal with such cases in effective manner and reduce risky situations for patient.
8

Flexible working shifts – The flexible shifts should be scheduled for nursing staff which is itself
attaining approach that help them to experience different situations along with effective way to
deal with them. It includes the beneficial tactics for improving efficiency of nurse to work in
potential manner that facilitate to improve patient outcomes.
CONCLUSION
From the above assignment, it has been concluded that quality and safety should be maintain
by providing effective training to nurses for delivering appropriate care services. It includes
following ethics and professionals codes of conduct to improve patient outcomes. However,
quality standards and legislation increase effectiveness of clinical practices that is favourable for
well-being of domestic violence victims.
9

REFERENCES
Books and journals
McGarry, J., Simpson, C. and Hinsliff-Smith, K., 2014. An exploration of service responses to
domestic abuse among older people: findings from one region of the UK. The Journal
of Adult Protection.
MW, R. and Appleton, J.V., 2016. Recognising and responding to domestic violence and abuse:
the role of public health nurses. Community practitioner, 89(3), p.24.
Al‐Natour, A., Qandil, A. and Gillespie, G.L., 2016. Nurses' roles in screening for intimate
partner violence: a phenomenological study. International nursing review, 63(3),
pp.422-428.
Ansari, S. and Boyle, A., 2017. Emergency department-based interventions for women suffering
domestic abuse: a critical literature review. European Journal of Emergency
Medicine, 24(1), pp.13-18.
Baird, K.M. and et. al., 2018. Effectiveness of training to promote routine enquiry for domestic
violence by midwives and nurses: a pre-post evaluation study. Women and birth, 31(4),
pp.285-291.
Bradbury‐Jones, C., Clark, M. and Taylor, J., 2017. Abused women's experiences of a primary
care identification and referral intervention: a case study analysis. Journal of advanced
nursing, 73(12), pp.3189-3199.
Salami, B. and Nelson, S., 2014. The downward occupational mobility of internationally
educated nurses to domestic workers. Nursing inquiry, 21(2), pp.153-161.
Krouwel, E.M. and et. al., 2015. Addressing changed sexual functioning in cancer patients: A
cross-sectional survey among Dutch oncology nurses. European Journal of Oncology
Nursing, 19(6), pp.707-715.
Milgrom, J. and Gemmill, A.W., 2014. Screening for perinatal depression. Best Practice &
Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 28(1), pp.13-23.
McKinney, E.S. and et. al., 2017. Maternal-child nursing-e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
McVicar, A., 2016. Scoping the common antecedents of job stress and job satisfaction for nurses
(2000–2013) using the job demands–resources model of stress. Journal of nursing
management, 24(2), pp.E112-E136.
Du Mont, J. and et. al., 2014. Client satisfaction with nursing-led sexual assault and domestic
violence services in Ontario. Journal of forensic nursing, 10(3), pp.122-134.
Hallett, C.E., 2014. Veiled warriors: Allied nurses of the first world war. OUP Oxford.
10