Caring for the future: strategies for promoting violence prevention in pediatric primary care.

PURPOSE: To identify strategies that will assist nurse practitioners (NPs) to incorporate universal youth violence screening and prevention strategies into their practices.

DATA SOURCES: Extensive reviews of the extant literature, clinical and anecdotal information, and professional experiences and encounters were utilized to explore and identify current practice recommendations related to youth violence prevention.

CONCLUSIONS: NPs' expertise in health promotion makes them an important member of interdisciplinary team efforts to prevent youth violence. Knowledge of risk factors, appropriately focused assessment, and relevant intervention strategies can assist NPs to fulfill a valuable role in this critical endeavor.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Recently, there has been an increased recognition of the role that healthcare providers at all levels can play in decreasing youth violence. A greater emphasis on strategies already employed by NPs to promote the development of healthy families can contribute greatly to reducing the problem of youth violence. Universal screening for warning signs and level of violence risk in youth, as well as utilizing appropriate interventions and referrals will provide NPs with the opportunity to contribute to this important goal.