Obstetric Violence: Suffering in Silence

Obstetric violence is a term not commonly known in the healthcare profession. Obstetric violence refers to the mistreatment of women before, during, or after childbirth and includes verbal, physical, psychological, or sexual violence. The lack of knowledge and awareness of obstetric violence in the healthcare profession could jeopardize patients safety. A woman who experiences obstetric violence is often left feeling helpless and hopeless during an important time in her life. At a large Midwest hospital, incidents of obstetric violence have been observed. To mitigate obstetric violence, more education is needed. Guided by a literature review and Watsons Caritas Processes, education on obstetric violence has been developed for obstetric nurses. The education provided will be evaluated using a survey, and validity will be determined by comparing multiple choice responses. In addition, a formal reporting structure for reporting obstetric violence will be developed. Ultimately, the goal of this project is to increase obstetric violence awareness with the intent to decrease obstetrically violent events at a large Midwest hospital