POLICY STATEMENT:

The following guidelines have been established to provide the EMT and/or Pre-hospital RN direction in cases of domestic violence or suspected victim of domestic abuse. It is the lawful duty of the EMS provider to report suspected cases of child abuse and/or neglect. The EMS provider must also provide emergency medical care as appropriate and insure the suspected victim or victim of abuse receives immediate and adequate information regarding services available to victims of abuse.

GOAL/PURPOSE:

To provide for proper reporting of an incident through notification of appropriate persons and resources and offering immediate and adequate information regarding services available to victims of abuse or for any person suspected to be a victim of domestic abuse.

POLICY/PROCEDURE:

DEFINITION - DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Although commonly thought of as hitting, shoving, kicking, stabbing and other serious physical attacks, domestic violence may also be sexual or psychological. It involves: The inflection or threat of inflection of any bodily injury or harmful physical contact or the destruction of property or threat thereof as a method of coercion, control, revenge or punishment upon a person with whom the actor is involved in an intimate relationship (i.e. between spouses, former spouses, past or present unmarried couples, between children, between children and parent(s), between children and relative).

ILLINOIS STATE LAW (210 ILCS 50/3.230)
ABUSE and NEGLECT REPORTING; DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REFERRALS

A. Implied consent shall be obtained to provide emergency medical care and transfer of the victim to the hospital facility of the victim's choice or to the nearest appropriate facility.

B. All cases of domestic violence shall be treated as victims of a crime and the assault and/or battery shall be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

C. It is important for the EMS provider to convey an attitude of concern, respect and confidentiality to the patient. Provide support and encouragement to the victim. Understand victim's fears of future violence if he/she expresses concern, and fear of great loss physically/emotionally/martially, if violence is disclosed. Provide privacy. Protect and provide privacy from partner/spouse/parent/relative.

D. All victims or suspected victims of domestic abuse including child abuse or neglect shall be provided immediate and adequate information regarding services available.