The Status of Intimate Partner Violence-related Education for Nurses in Sri Lanka: A Cross-sectional Survey of the Nursing Curricula

Abstract

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) results in serious short and long-term health consequences, and is a global health problem. Nurses can play a key role in identifying and addressing the health concerns of women subjected to IPV. Yet, nursing curricula often do not adequately-cover this topic. The objective of this study was to examine and describe the current status of the IPV-related education for nurses in Sri Lanka. This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design. A purposive sample of nurse educators from the 24 educational institutions that conduct pre- and post-registration nursing programs in Sri Lanka reviewed their curricula using a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire with closed questions and one open question. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and manifest content analysis. Results show that none of the curricula included contents on IPV except for two pre-registration programs. Some institutions reported that the topic was addressed sometimes by resource persons during student clinical or field experience. The nursing educators expressed the importance of including IPV content in the nursing curricula. Lack of content, curricular time, nursing educators’ lack of competence to teach the topic as well as attitudinal problems, ethical concerns related to women survivors, and lack of continuing education opportunities for nurses were identified as barriers to IPV-related education. The current IPV education in nursing in Sri Lanka is inadequate. There is an urgent need to incorporate IPV content into nursing curricula and train nursing educators in order to improve nurses’ preparedness to care for women experiencing IPV.