Experiences of unplanned healthcare encounters from victims of intimate partner violence in Sweden.

Introduction: Intimate partner violence (IPV) represents a substantial public health concern affecting individuals of all ages and all genders. IPV survivors have a higher healthcare consumption than those not living with IPV. The staff in unplanned healthcare context (such as drop-in primary healthcare or emergency care) care for these persons often, due to different health problems following being an IPV victim. The nature of the unplanned care indicates a lack of continuity in the caring relationship. The aim of the study was to investigate experiences and expectations in the care of adults who had experienced IPV. Methods: The research followed a qualitative design with 11 individual, semistructured interviews, analysed using content analysis. Participants were recruited via social media. Results: 11 interviews revealed the overarching theme 'Being seen without shame or blame', which was based on experiences and expectations of healthcare encounters. Being seen without being shamed or blamed by the healthcare staff was an important factor in making the IPV victim feel safe and experience trust. This theme represents two different perspectives: the categories 'The caring person' and 'The caring organisation'. There is an imbalance regarding gender, meaning that our results may not be valid for male or non-binary IPV victims. Conclusions: In many healthcare encounters in Sweden, nurses are the first healthcare professionals to meet the patient. To enable the IPV victim to share their experience and thus receive better care and support, more knowledge is needed. If the IPV victim does not feel confident that the healthcare staff can handle their disclosure in a professional and empathetic way, patient safety is at great risk.