Experiences of forensic nurses regarding the provision of care to victims of sexual assault in selected public hospitals of Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of forensic nurses when providing care to victims of sexual assault in selected public hospitals of Limpopo province. Methods: A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was employed in this study. A sample of 7 registered nurses was purposively selected to partake in in-depth unstructured interviews. Results: Four themes associated with the experience of providing care to victims of sexual assaults emerged during data analysis. These included (1) psychological experiences of nursing victims of sexual assault, (2) physical challenges associated with implementing the forensic nursing specialty in a clinical setting, (3) psychological coping strategies to deal with challenges experienced, and (4) the experience of managerial support. Conclusion: Participants reported negative psychological and physical experiences of providing care to victims of sexual assault, which resulted to occupational stress. Recommendations of forensic nurses support guidelines and further research were made.