Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health issue that leads to lifelong and generational consequences for families and communities. The incidence of IPV is 2.5 times higher among indigenous families in the United States (Burnette & Cannon, 2014), and particularly problematic on the geographically remote Navajo Reservation, where families, particularly women and children face enhanced adversities, including the right to live in a safe environment and have ready access to services that protect families from violence. The current hesitancy to discuss IPV on the reservation negatively impacts families experiencing such, due to the exceptionally sensitive nature of both collecting and reporting intimately private details by public health workers and the community respectively. The prevalence of intimate partner violence and insufficient capacity to screen and report intimate partner violence places Navajo women and children at heightened risk for lifelong and generational adverse outcomes like depression, repeated violence and suicide (Darden, Kelly, Nez, Bradley, & Tsosie, 2016).
The extant health disparity of IPV on the reservation coupled with the overburdened and ill-prepared public health care workers (PHCW) illustrates a service void that is detrimental to the lives of Navajo women and children. This quality improvement project will prepare and improve PHCW ability to take the initiative to screen women for intimate partner violence, deliver safety and prevention messages, and build capacity for effective and appropriate referrals that link abused women to resources. The second purpose of this quality improvement project is to pilot evidenced-based staff training on intimate partner violence annually to all new hires of Chinle Service Unit PHCWs. The third purpose of this quality improvement project is to integrate lessons on IPV into the current Family Spirit curriculum for long term sustainability. All of these will help support a public health system that supports families experiencing IPV.
Language
English
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Level of Degree
Doctoral
First Committee Member
Dr. Heidi Rogers
Second Committee Member
Dr. Matthew Nelson
Third Committee Member
Dr. Christine Delucas
Keywords
Intimate Partner Violence, Domestic Violence, Navajo, Women and Children
Recommended Citation
Dayzie, Molly N.. "Call to Action-Improving Screening, Health and Safety Education and Referrals for Intimate Partner Violence by the Public Health Workers of The Chinle Service Unit." (2019). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/dnp/42
