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Child abuse and neglect education in schools of nursing in the province of British Columbia and the state of Washington

University of British Columbia

Child abuse and neglect has been an historical problem which has only entered our consciousness as legislation to protect children has been passed. Public and media awareness has mushroomed along with the number of disclosures and increasingly dramatic stories of abuse and neglect. Nurses, because of their many different places of practise, come in contact with many victims and offenders. How does their education prepare them for this task? The study surveyed of schools of nursing in British Columbia and the state of Washington through the directors of nursing, associate deans, deans and coordinators, to instructors and faculty members who teach child abuse and neglect education. Instructors and faculty members completed a questionnaire of 23 questions about child abuse and neglect education in their schools of nursing and about their own educational preparation and experience. The questionnaire was expanded from a similar study done in 1985-86. Not all schools of nursing have child abuse and neglect education. Of those indicating they teach child abuse and neglect, most devote 2-4 hours to teaching. Child abuse and neglect education is taught in a wide variety of nursing subject areas. There are fewer resources (both personnel and print and media) being used in teaching child abuse and neglect in 1993 than in 1985-86. The majority of faculty members and instructors were not educated in the province or state in which they now teach and also the majority did not receive child abuse and neglect education during their baccalaureate education. Instructors and faculty members from Washington had more suggestions for improving child abuse and neglect education than did those from British Columbia. Education about reporting child abuse and nursing and sexually transmitted diseases is inconsistent. There is very little child abuse and neglect interprofessional education. While the diversification of nurses' job placements makes them ideal professionals to identify, prevent, and treat child abuse and neglect, their educational preparation does not appear adequate for this task.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2008-08-27

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/1538

Science Education

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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