A qualitative study of public health nurses' experiences detecting and preventing child maltreatment in primary care settings

Abstract

Aim: To explore how public health nurses in child and family health centres experience detecting and preventing child maltreatment.

Design: Qualitative study.

Methods: Fourteen semi-structured individual interviews with public health nurses who worked in 11 different child and family health centres were conducted. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Three themes were identified: (i) integrating knowledge to prevent child maltreatment as part of their everyday job, (ii) striving hard to detect child maltreatment and (iii) experiencing the assignment to be complex and demanding.

Conclusion: Despite extensive experience, knowledge and following the guidelines, public health nurses in this study had difficulties finding children exposed to child maltreatment in child and family health centres. Public health nurses called for mutual multidisciplinary cooperation with other services and organizational facilitation, such as enough time and clear guidelines to effectively address this issue.

Implications for practice: This study provides knowledge about how public health nurses work with child maltreatment at the Child and Family Health Center, which can serve as valuable foundation for further research as well for collaborating services.

Reporting method: EQUATOR guidelines were followed, using the COREQ checklist.

Patient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution.

Keywords: child abuse; child nursing; child protection; family care; health promotion; nurse roles; primary care; public health nursing.