ANMF wants training in domestic violence issues

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation wants nurses and midwives to be specifically trained in addressing domestic violence.

The ANMF, in partnership with the Luke Batty Foundation’s Never Alone campaign against domestic violence, is calling for nurses and midwives to receive education and training in managing domestic violence cases at the undergraduate level and within the health system.

Lee Thomas, ANMF federal secretary, pointed to the fact that nurses and midwives are often the people who treat victims of domestic violence and see the impact the violence has on them and their families.

“That’s why we need to put domestic violence on the agenda as a mainstream health issue by empowering nurses and midwives with further education and training to enable them to recognise and appropriately manage domestic violence issues when they see them,” Thomas said.

Annie Butler, ANMF’s assistant federal secretary, added the union would be focusing on system support as well.

"We, for example, might be able to give a nurse education, so he or she might be able to recognise symptoms to deal with a person and even refer, but we've got to make sure that services you might want to refer people to actually exist, that they're there and they're supportive,” Butler said.

Click to hear more from Annie Butler.