Care for women in domestic violence situation: representations of hospital nurses

Abstract

Our study aimed to analyze the structure and contents of nurses’ social representations about the care provided to the victim of domestic violence. Nurses from two medium size public hospitals at Rio Grande/RS participated in the study. We collected data through free evocations of the inductor term “care for the victim” and analyzed them by software. The nurses had representations centered in the psychosocial care demonstrated by the terms present in the central nucleus. We inferred the presence of a subgroup in the contrast zone that acknowledges the importance of the physical care, without limiting to the actions of technicians. In the periphery, we inferred the work is evident when facing terms of assistance and orientation. The professionalism reveals the need to address the object, based on the reified knowledge. Because this is a theme with a considered emotional load, added to the hospitalization and the fragility of the victim, the psychosocial focus is more significant in the care context.