Establishing Empathetic Collaborative Care for Survivors of Violence Through Multidisciplinary Simulation

Abstract

Background: Although nurses are introduced to an array of patient populations in nursing school, how to care for and treat survivors of violence typically does not get the same time and attention. Treating survivors of violence not only includes professional competency, but also empathy and the ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary professionals. This article describes a multidisciplinary survivors of violence simulation involving nursing, criminal justice, and psychology students that addresses empathetic and collaborative care for victims of violence. Method: Students participated in sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking simulations. A Socratic debriefing technique with the standardized patient present was used. Results: Students established positive relationships within their groups through respect and effective communication. Discussions during debriefing indicated students understood the importance of competent, empathetic, collaborative care. Conclusion: This educational initiative suggests the potential to improve multidisciplinary care for victims of violence through simulation. [ J Nurs Educ . 2022;61(12):716–719.]