A nursing student asks the clinic nurse why it is important to find out whether a woman in a violent relationship feels safe leaving the clinic. The best response by the nurse would be to tell the student that

Question

a. femicide is a major cause of death, especially in African American women.
b. if the woman is not safe, the nurse can have the police escort her.
c. the law requires asking about patient safety in this situation.
d. women who are not safe need to be given referral information.

Answer 1

A
Femicide, the murder of a woman, is the seventh leading cause of premature death in women overall, and it is the most serious consequence of intimate partner violence. The student (and nursing staff) need to ensure the woman feels safe going home.
Offering to have police escort the woman home does not explain where the police would escort the woman to, nor does it consider that police may not be available at the time.
The law does not require asking specifically whether a woman is safe to leave a medical facility, but there are consensus guidelines on appropriate questioning.
Women who are not safe do need referral information, but this answer is too narrow in scope to be the best answer.