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Abstract
Domestic violence has been called a public health epidemic which affects five million women a year including 324,000 pregnant women (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006). A phenomenological qualitative study was done to encourage obstetrical nurses to express their thoughts about barriers related to asking about domestic violence when patients were admitted to the hospital. A theory of role disconnection was discovered regarding the nurses and perceived barriers to asking about abuse. These barriers were identified in seven major themes which were: (a) it's hard to ask about abuse when the patients friends and family are with the patient, (b) if I ask, then what, (c) I'm too busy to get involved, (d) I don't really want to know and it really is none of my business, (e) it's her day and she needs her partner, (f) it's not a problem here, and (g) it's not my job.
