Nursing care and perception of women suffering from spousal abuse

Abstract

Introduction: Many countries in Latin America and around the world have agreed to enact legislation with the purpose of preventing and eradicating domestic violence. Nevertheless, insufficient action has been taken to solve this problem effectively. Nursing as a field of study must be involved in the search for this solution. Goal: To describe the nursing care requirements perceived as necessary by women in shelter houses who have suffered from life-threatening abuse at the hands of their partners. Methodology: Qualitative and descriptive case study. Field notes were recorded, and an in-depth interview of key informants was conducted. Data analysis followed Miles and Huberman's framework; ethical considerations were kept in mind throughout the investigation. Findings: The following categories emerged from the analysis: “domestic environment” and “woman's attitude” (from the field notes); “generic (popular) care,” “professional care,” and “specific required nursing care” (from the interviews). The main subcategories of each category were identified. Discussion: The discovery of the aforementioned dimensions is relevant to the nursing discipline, as this establishes a consistency between these findings and the state of the art in terms of shortages and requirements of these women, such as protection, security, support, guidance, education, and the need to restructure their lives as well as those of their children. Conclusion: It is necessary to formulate care protocols and specific care models in inter-sectoral public services. These protocols and models must be culturally appropriate and significant, and must guide the practice, focusing on the essence of the nurse's knowhow and social responsibility.