First contact: acute stress reactions and experiences of emergency department consultations following an incident of intimate partner violence

Aims and objectives The aim of this research was to explore women's emotional and affective responses following an incident of intimate partner violence experienced during emergency department attendances. Background A growing body of research has explored women's experiences of emergency departments following intimate partner violence still little remains known about the experience and impact of emotional and affective responses during these attendances. Design A descriptive qualitative design was used, underpinned theoretically by critical realism and postmodern complexity theory to attend to multiple, intersecting mechanisms that lie behind events and experiences. Methods Semistructured interviews with six women who had attended an emergency department directly following an incident of intimate partner violence. Interview data were transcribed and thematically analysed in nvivo9 using a coding framework. Results There were three interconnected key findings. First, was the commonality of acute stress experiences among women attending an emergency department following partner violence, second was that these acute stress reactions negatively impacted women's consultations, and third was the need for specialist domestic violence services at the point of first contact to assist service users navigate an effective consultation. Conclusions Acute stress reactions were an important feature of women's experiences of emergency department consultations following intimate partner violence. Attending to psychological first aid; providing a safe and quiet space; and affording access to specialist violence advocacy services at the point of first contact will limit harm and improve health consultation outcomes for this population. Relevance to clinical practice This research provides an account of emotional and affective responses experienced by women attending emergency departments following intimate partner violence and explicates how these acute stress reactions impacted their consultation. This research has relevance for practitioners in many first contact health services, such as urgent and emergency care, general practice, community public health and mental health.