• Johannah Hickey, Mackenzie White, and Sarah Gantz.
• Johannah Hickey is the clinical nurse specialist in the neuromedicine intensive care unit at the University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York.
• Crit Care Nurse. 2024 Oct 1; 44 (5): 324132-41.

BackgroundThe number of patients who have experienced violence is increasing worldwide. These patients have specific psychosocial and forensic needs and can present unique challenges to the health care workers caring for them.ObjectiveTo identify best practices for the care of patients with injuries from violence in the emergency department or inpatient setting.MethodsThe framework for integrative reviews by Whittemore and Knafl was used to conduct a literature search in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health databases. Fourteen qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies from peer-reviewed journals were included in the review.ResultsThemes included identifying patients as survivors of intimate partner violence or child abuse, the need to collect forensic evidence, the need for emotional support of patients and their loved ones, support for health care workers caring for patients with injuries from violence, prevention of further violence, and the challenges of caring for patients with injuries from violence with concurrent substance use disorders. Best practices for these aspects of care are summarized on the basis of literature analysis.ConclusionScreening procedures are needed to identify survivors of intimate partner violence and child abuse. Forensic evidence preservation policies should be in place. For survivors of sexual assault, a sexual assault nurse examiner should be available. Hospital systems should provide psychosocial resources for patients' and health care workers' mental health, implement violence reduction programs, and provide bias training. More research is needed to determine efficacy of care models and best practice.©2024 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

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