Attitudes of Nursing Students About Reporting Child Abuse in Izmir, Türkiye: Descriptive Study

Abuse and neglect is a problem that has medical, legal and social dimensions; leaves permanent scars in the life of the child/young person; and causes serious injuries, disabilities and even mortality. The aim of this cross-sectional and descriptive study was to determine the attitudes of nursing students in the baccalaureate program towards reporting child abuse. The study was conducted with a sample of 546 students. Data were collected via the ‘Individual Identification Form’ and the ‘Healthcare Provider Attitudes Towards Child Maltreatment Reporting Scale’ administered during the fall semester. It was found that nursing students had high scores on the Healthcare Provider Attitudes Towards Child Maltreatment Reporting Scale, especially female students who had higher scores. In addition, it was found that as the years of study increased, students showed a more positive attitude towards reporting child abuse and neglect. It was determined that there was a statistically significant difference between being pleased with choosing the nursing profession and reporting child abuse and that students who were pleased to choose the nursing profession had better awareness of child abuse. Nursing students have an important responsibility for early diagnosis of abuse as they are likely to encounter child abuse situations during clinical practice. This study shows that the participants have a high level of positive attitude towards reporting child abuse, but their concerns about reporting are at an average level.