Cupcakes, quizzes and an information display formed part of an awareness campaign at the Bundaberg Hospital during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April.
Organised by the Bundaberg Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) team, the campaign was an opportunity to focus on education about what is consent and the service the SANE team offers for patients disclosing sexual assault.
SANE nurse Fiona Stack said the Cupcakes for Consent morning tea included an activity where, for the reward of a cupcake, staff had to determine whether a series of statements around consent were true or false.
“We wanted to get everyone who works in health onboard to understand what consent really means,” she said.
“We’re also building awareness in the community with our information display in the hospital foyer and through our strong links with the Queensland Police and domestic and family violence agencies such as Phoenix House and Edon Place.
“We have also linked with Bundaberg Regional Council’s Community Liaison Officers under the Domestic and Family Violence Matters program and have support from Zonta who have provided some dignity packs for those who’ve experienced sexual assault.
“By presenting information and working in collaboration with other agencies, we’re raising awareness about what SANE nurses do.”
The main role of a SANE nurse is to collect forensic evidence following a sexual assault which may be used to support a police investigation. However, the role goes further to ensure that patients are aware of all their options and the implications of those choices. This allows them to make an informed decision on which path to take.
This could be agreeing to a Collect and Analyse examination where samples are handed over to the Queensland Police for potentially pursuing an investigation. The Collect and Store path is where a forensic examination is still provided but the evidence is stored for up to two years, allowing the victim/survivor to decide whether they want to involve police, or they can choose to receive medical care only with no forensic examination.
With more than 20 years of experience working at Queensland Health as a sexual health and HIV nurse, Fiona moved into the SANE team at Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service (WBHHS) because she felt passionate about embedding the service into the organisation, particularly in a regional area such as this.
“Having the ability to provide this service is great for our community,” Fiona said.
“Now we have 27 trained SANE nurses employed across WBHHS where we provide an on-call 24/7 multidisciplinary approach with two doctors also forming part of the team.
“It’s a massive step forward. We can give back to the community and feel proud that we’re part of this amazing service.”