Through her research, nursing student Jacquelyn Campbell became one of the first to recognize the critical role medical providers had in ensuring the health and safety of women who were battered. She dedicated her career to reforming medical practice and improving the lives of women who were battered.
“The Role of Misogyny in Patterns of Homicide: A Historical Survey Examining the Killing of Women by Men in a Midwestern City (Approximate Population of 200,000), 1975–1979,” Jacquelyn Campbell, 1980
Courtesy National Library of Medicine
While researching her master’s thesis, Campbell found that over 70 percent of women who were killed by current or former partners had a history of domestic abuse. These women had sought medical services prior to their deaths, yet none had been identified by medical professionals as abuse victims.
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Danger Assessment, Jacquelyn Campbell, 1985, 1988
Courtesy Jacquelyn Campbell
Nurse reformer Jacquelyn Campbell created the Danger Assessment Screen to help women who were battered determine their risk of death at the hands of an abusive partner. The Danger Assessment Screen has been used for over 25 years and has saved thousands of lives.
Danger Assessment, Jacquelyn Campbell, 2003
Courtesy Jacquelyn Campbell
Jacquelyn Campbell, ca. 1980s
Courtesy National Library of Medicine
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Wright State University, where Jacquelyn Campbell earned her masters degree, recognized her as an outstanding alumnus for her work in addressing the health care needs of women who were battered, 1993
Courtesy Wright State University — Miami Valley College of Nursing and Health
As a pioneer nurse reformer, Jacquelyn Campbell researched and published extensively on the role of nurses in treating women who were battered. Her work has made a critical impact in the medical and nursing professions, as well as in the lives of survivors of violence.
“Nursing and Battered Women,” Response, Jacquelyn Campbell 1988
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Nursing Care of Victims of Family Violence, the first nursing textbook on family violence, Jacquelyn Campbell, Janice Humphreys, 1984
Courtesy National Library of Medicine
Campbell and Humphreys pursued innovative strategies to address the health needs of women who were battered. They were amongst the first nurses to provide health care in shelters and they created and taught one of the first nursing courses on family violence in the country at the Wayne State University College of Nursing.
“Providing Health Care in Shelters,” Response, Jacquelyn Campbell and Janice C. Humphreys, 1987
“Misogyny and Homicide of Women,” Advances in Nursing Science, Jacquelyn Campbell, 1981
Courtesy National Library of Medicine
In this article, Jacquelyn Campbell made the direct connection between misogyny and the homicide of women. Using her thesis research, Campbell found that women who were battered were the population most at risk for homicide. Campbell called on nurses, as members of a profession that promoted peace and health, to recognize violence as their issue.“Nursing Assessment for Risk of Homicide with Battered Women,” Advances in Nursing Science, Jacquelyn Campbell, 1986
Courtesy National Library of Medicine
In this article, Campbell describes the results from a study of 79 women who were battered who used the Danger Assessment instrument that Campbell developed. The study supported the reliability and validity of Campbell’s Danger Assessment instrument.
“Battered Women: A Health Care Problem in Disguise,” Image, Virginia Drake, 1982
Courtesy National Library of Medicine
Drake’s 1982 article was invaluable in legitimizing much of the reform work that followed within the nursing profession on violence against women. The article was a call to action for nurses, arguing that nurses had “a unique opportunity to become leaders in the multidisciplinary approach to controlling and reducing” domestic violence and its impacts.
“The Battered Wife Syndrome and Violence in the Nuclear Family of Origin: A Controlled Pilot Study,” American Journal of Public Health, Barbara Parker, Dale Schumacher, 1977
Courtesy National Library of Medicine
Parker and Schumacher’s data-driven article was one of the very first publications to provide evidence that domestic violence was a serious health care issue that required immediate attention. The authors reported that because there were no controlled studies of women who were battered, little was known about how to prevent further harm to this population.
Through her research, nursing student Jacquelyn Campbell became one of the first to recognize the critical role medical providers had in ensuring the health and safety of women who were battered. She dedicated her career to reforming medical practice and improving the lives of women who were battered.