Columbia University School of Nursing

Class Syllabus

Summer 2002

M6930: Interpersonal Violence and Abuse: Prevention, Assessment, and Intervention for Health Care Professionals.

CREDIT:1
PREREQUISITE: None
COURSE LEVEL:Graduate / Location:PH 17-30
Class Meetings: July 1, 8, 15, & 22
Mondays, 4-8 PM

TEACHING FACULTY:

Course Coordinator:Rula Btoush RN, MS ()
Supporting Faculty: RitaMarie John, MSN, CPNP ()

DESCRIPTION: Aimed at increasing the awareness of the incidence, prevalence, context, processes and potential outcomes of interpersonal violence and abuse in individuals and families. The goal is to provide advanced practice nurses with the information needed for prevention, early identification, assessment, appropriate intervention and resource referral for clients and families at risk. Content includes issues related to interpersonal violence including physical, sexual and psychological child abuse, violence against women including domestic violence, courtship violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse.

OBJECTIVES: At the end of this one credit course the student will have had the opportunity to:

  1. Define the concepts of interpersonal violence and abuse including physical, emotional/psychological, and sexual.
  2. Describe the characteristics of victims of violence and abuse including those specific to age, gender, mental status, socio-economic and legal status.
  3. Discuss the characteristics of perpetrators of violence as it relates to prevention, screening, identification, and intervention/referral for the victim and the perpetrator.
  4. Discuss the dynamics of abusive situations and the social origins of abuse in various settings.
  5. Identify barriers to leaving abusive situations for various groups.
  6. Describe the role of the advanced practice nurse in the prevention, screening, identification, intervention and/or referral.
  7. Discuss violence in the workplace, including federal recommendations to improve prevention efforts and reduce risks to health care workers.

COURSE REQUIRMENTS:

  • Attendance is mandatory for ALL classes.
  • 2 Quizzes (25% each) on July 15 and 22.
  • Participation (10%): participation is expected in class and on the e-bulletin board (at least 2 times).
  • Film assignment (40%): due July 22. Fill out the Suspected Sexual Assault form based on the film “The Accused” and write a one-page paper about the film, how rape victims are treated, and the role of health care providers.

METHODOLOGY: Lecture, discussion, films, case studies, readings.

REQUIRED TEXT:

Paluzzi, P. & Slattery, L. (1996). No woman deserves to hurt: Domestic violence education for women’s health care providers. Washington, DC; American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Sipe, B. & Hall, E. J. (1996). I am not your victim. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

RECOMMENDED TEXT:

Campbell, J. (1998). Empowering survivors of abuse: Health care for battered women and their children. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Schornstein, S. (1997). Domestic violence and health care. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Session 1 (July 1)
Violence in the family
Definitions, prevalence, major forms & categories, theories, associated factors, cultural competency, legal issues.
Intimate partner violence
Definitions, consequences, cycle of violence, power & control wheel, equality wheel, process of entrapment, being part of the problem or part of the solution.
Video: No Woman Deserves to Hurt: Part I
Readings: NWDTH: Section I & II, Handouts
Session 2 (July 8)
Sexual Assault
Characteristics of rapists, marital rape, date rape, physical examination, care of sexually assaulted patient.
Elder abuse
Identification of elder abuse, characteristics of victims, categories, major forms, responsibilities/reporting.
Readings: I Am Not Your Victim, Handouts
Session 3 (July 15)
……Quiz 1……
Video: No woman deserves to hurt part II
Sexual abuse/assault in children
Overview of normal prepubital anatomy, normal variation, sexual assault of the child, sexually transmitted diseases and the child.
Readings: NWDTH: Section III & IV, Handouts
Session 4 (July 22)
……Quiz 2……
……Film Assignment Due……
IPV Management
Primary prevention, Clinical approaches to abused women, Leaving spouse abuse, implications for interventions, Strategies for screening for abuse in clinical setting/Abuse Assessment Screen, Assessing physical & non-physical abuse in hospital, Forensic evaluation, Safety assessment, Referrals, Health record documentation, Legal Issues for Health Care Providers.
Group Activity
Video

Columbia University School of Nursing

Interpersonal Violence and Abuse

Reading list

Introduction:

  1. Paluzzi, P. & Slattery, L. (1996) Section I.: Demographics, Dynamics, and definitions of abuse. In P. Palizzi & L. Slattery. No woman deserves to hurt: Domestic violence education for women’s health care providers. Washington, DC: American College of Nurse-Midwives.
  1. Mahoney, P., Williams, L., & West, C. (2001). Violence against women by intimate relationship partners. In C. Renzetti, J. Edleson, & R. Bergen (Ed.) (2001). Sourcebook on violence against women. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
  1. Pace University School of Law. (1998). Starting over: Legal name change. [Online] available:
  1. Salber, P. (1998). Introduction. In C. Warshaw & A. Gnaley. Improving the health care response to domestic violence: A resource manual for health care providers. San Francisco, CA: Family Violence Prevention Fund.
  1. Ganley, A. (1998). Understanding domestic violence. In C. Warshaw & A. Gnaley. Improving the health care response to domestic violence: A resource manual for health care providers. San Francisco, CA: Family Violence Prevention Fund.
  1. Anderson, D., Limandri, B., & Tilden, V. (Domestic violence: Reconsideration of ethical issues in the health care system.

Sexual Assault: TBA

  1. American Academy of Pediatrics (1999). Guidelines for the evaluation of sexual abuse of children: Subject review. Pediatrics, 103 (1): 186-191

IVP Management:

  1. Palizzi P. & Slattery, L. (1996). No woman deserves to hurt: Domestic violence education for women’s health care providers. Washington, DC: American College of Nurse-Midwives:

a) Section II.: Assessment.

b) Section III.: Intervention.

c) Section IV.: Resources and Referrals.

d) Section V.: Taking care of ourselves as providers

  1. Sipe, B. & Hall, E. (1996). I am not your victim. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
  1. Stark, E. (2001). Health interventions with battered women: From crisis intervention to complex social prevention. In C. Renzetti, J. Edleson, & R. Bergen (Ed.) (2001). Sourcebook on violence against women. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
  1. The National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence (1999). Improving your health care health care response to domestic violence (available at San Francisco, CA; Family Violence Prevention Fund.
  1. Office for Prevention of Domestic Violence (1999). Batterers Intervention Programs Checklist (available at New York: Author.
Elderly Abuse:
  1. New York Elder Abuse Coalition (2001). Elder abuse definition, signs, and symptoms. [Online] available:

1