Handling patients who are victims of domestic abuse: what hospital personnel should know.

Greater participation by hospital employees, including security officers, in collecting and documenting evidence in cases of domestic violence is advocated by experts concerned with the problem, but some express certain reservations. In recent years, they report, healthcare providers have become more actively involved. To date, however, nurses and doctors in the obstetrics and gynecology, maternity, and emergency departments are often the first to see and offer assistance to victims of domestic abuse. In this report, we'll provide details on how one hospital handles domestic violence cases, resources for security officers who want to familiarize themselves with those areas, and some pros and cons expressed by victim advocates about participation of hospital security in investigating domestic violence.