Chronic intimate partner violence produces significant neurobiological changes through sustained HPA axis activation and repeated traumatic stress. Elevated cortisol causes hippocampal volume reduction (impaired memory consolidation and contextual processing), amygdala hypertrophy (heightened fear response and threat detection), and prefrontal cortex thinning (impaired decision-making and impulse control). These changes produce the complex trauma response seen in IPV survivors: hypervigilance, emotional dysregulation, dissociation, and learned helplessness. Trauma bonding (Stockholm syndrome-like attachment) develops through intermittent reinforcement of abuse and affection cycles. The nurse performs comprehensive assessments, implements evidence-based screening, provides trauma-informed care, develops safety plans, coordinates forensic documentation, manages mandatory reporting obligations, and addresses the physical and psychological health consequences of IPV.