Update to required training for Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention

March 9, 2018 

To: Massachusetts Nursing and Professional Healthcare Organizations

From: Board of Registration in Nursing

Re: Update to required training for Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention

The Board of Registration in Nursing (Board) continues to receive many calls regarding the issue of complying with the law that requires training for health care providers on the issue of domestic and sexual violence as a condition of licensure (M.G.L. c. 112, § 264). Essentially, there is no update to report and the information below has not changed.

DPH’s Division of Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention and Services continues its work developing an e-Learning tool that will be housed on its DPH’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Integration Initiatives web page. Once the e-learning tool is completed, the Board will issue a new update and post information regarding it on the Board’s website.

The Board will not hold a nurse responsible for the required training until it is available. After the training information is posted on the Board’s website, nurses who have not yet renewed in 2018 will have an additional six months to complete the training. Nurses who have renewed prior to the posting must complete the training prior to their next renewal.

A nurse participating in a currently approved in-person training program will be considered to have met the requirement and does not need to take the online course by DPH. Refer to DPH’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Integration Initiatives for training approval updates.