New domestic violence and abuse resource for nurses and midwives

The RCN has launched an updated online resource about domestic violence and abuse for nurses and midwives.

The website page brings together a range of resources to help raise nurses and midwives’ awareness and ability to deal with domestic abuse.

RCN professional lead for midwifery and women’s health Carmel Bagness said: ‘There is a lot of information out there on domestic violence and abuse already, so we didn’t want to create something completely new.

‘Instead, we have brought the resources together and created a page with signposting support, as well as useful strategies, policies and documents, to help guide nurses and midwives.’

Ms Bagness also told Nursing Standard that work was under way to gather further evidence and research about nurses and midwives who are:

• Carers of a victim of domestic violence.
• Victims of domestic violence.
• Potential perpetrators of domestic violence.

New research findings from a separate UK project into domestic violence, known as the Themis project, are also to be launched in London this month. 

The charity SafeLives has been evaluating the impact of independent domestic violence advisers (IDVAs) in hospitals, as part of this Themis research. Ms Bagness said she looked forward to the results.

‘THEMIS should provide us with some much-needed evidence around domestic violence,’ she said.

Further information

• See the RCN webpage here