The nurse suspects intimate partner violence in a pregnant client at 28 weeks gestation. Which assessment supports this suspicion?

The nurse suspects intimate partner violence in a pregnant client at 28 weeks gestation. Which assessment supports this suspicion?

• A. The client has injuries to the breasts and abdomen
• B. The partner answers questions that are asked of the woman
• C. The client has visited the clinic several times in the past month
• D. The ultrasound shows no injuries

Answer: (B)

In assessing intimate partner violence, the most telling signal is who is controlling the information shared during the interview. When the partner answers questions that are asked of the woman, it reveals coercive control and a lack of the patient’s autonomy. This dynamic commonly accompanies abuse, as the partner may want to shield the patient from disclosure or manipulate what is revealed, making it a strong indicator that IPV could be present. Visible injuries can occur with abuse, but their absence doesn’t rule it out, and injury patterns aren’t reliably specific to IPV. Likewise, the patient’s frequent clinic visits or an ultrasound finding of no injuries don’t specifically point to IPV. The key clue here is the partner speaking for the patient, which signals a risk that the patient may be unable to communicate safely and needs a private, confidential conversation and safety planning.

In assessing intimate partner violence, the most telling signal is who is controlling the information shared during the interview. When the partner answers questions that are asked of the woman, it reveals coercive control and a lack of the patient’s autonomy. This dynamic commonly accompanies abuse, as the partner may want to shield the patient from disclosure or manipulate what is revealed, making it a strong indicator that IPV could be present.

Visible injuries can occur with abuse, but their absence doesn’t rule it out, and injury patterns aren’t reliably specific to IPV. Likewise, the patient’s frequent clinic visits or an ultrasound finding of no injuries don’t specifically point to IPV. The key clue here is the partner speaking for the patient, which signals a risk that the patient may be unable to communicate safely and needs a private, confidential conversation and safety planning.