Knowledge Base of Nurses Before and After a Human Trafficking Continuing Education Course

Author: Lawrence, Madelaine & Bauer, Paul

Abstract: Recent research shows up to 88% of human trafficking victims are seen in a health care setting sometime during their coerced servitude. Nurses are in key positions to identify trafficked victims but often lack sufficient information about how to assess and report trafficked victims. This article includes participant data from one presurvey and two postsurveys from a human trafficking continuing education course. Data demonstrate a precourse knowledge base deficit about human trafficking. The postcourse surveys indicated that participants had increased knowledge and desire to implement the course information to identify trafficked individuals. Nurses learning about human trafficking through continuing education courses can be invaluable in identifying and helping trafficked victims.

Keywords: human trafficking, nurses, continuing education, healthcare setting