The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner refresher training offered hands-on skill building and insightful presentations.
The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) team recently hosted their annual refresher training day, bringing together partners from the Queensland Police Service, Clinical Forensic Medicine Unit and Forensic Medicine Queensland.
The day offered hands-on skill building and insightful presentations, covering everything from navigating the court process to the importance of self-care.
This year’s training also celebrated the 4th birthday of the Sexual Assault Service, a milestone that highlights the vital role the SANE team plays in delivering timely, trauma-informed care for people impacted by sexual assault.
We caught up with Emma to go behind the scenes on what work as a SANE Nurse looks like.
Staff interested in learning more about the service, or in joining the team, are encouraged to contact Emma Turner or Fiona Stack.
What does your role involve when a patient presents after a sexual assault?
When patients present disclosing sexual assault the main role of a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner is to collect forensic evidence for use in a criminal case.
However, our role goes far beyond just the collection of evidence. It is our job 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 either by a Collect and Analyse examination where the samples are handed over to Queensland Police for testing for the purpose to pursue a criminal case.
A Collect and Store examination involves the same evidence collection, but the evidence is sent to and stored by Forensic sciences Queensland for 24 months.
The person also has the option to just have medical care only with no forensic examination.
How do you ensure the process is trauma-informed and respectful for patients?
We provide private, comfortable and appropriate spaces to conduct history taking and examination. We clearly explain the process before seeking informed written consent to proceed.
We give power back to the victim-survivor by putting them in control of the process and allowing them time to tell their truth. We also try to limit the number of staff involved in their care to avoid them having to re-tell their story multiple times.
We seek reaffirmation of their consent during the examination to ensure they are comfortable and still willing to proceed.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions about forensic examinations?
Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions in this area and too many to detail. However, there is a misconception that if assaulted, you would have visible injuries when this just isn’t the case.
There is a growing body of evidence that there are many contributing factors, and, in many cases, there are no physical injuries present.
What kind of training and preparation does it take to work in this specialised area of nursing?
To become a SANE or Sexual Assault Midwife Examiner (SAME) you need to be a registered Nurse or Midwife with three years postgraduate experience. You will need to complete the Forensic Medical Examiner Training program for registered nurses/midwives. This course consists of six self-paced online modules and a 2-day intensive workshop.
When completing the training we ask for a 12-month commitment to the on-call roster. If you want to take your study in the field of forensic nursing further, there is a postgraduate certificate in Forensic Nursing and Midwifery available through Monash University. This course will increase your scope of practice within the field of forensic nursing.
How do you balance the clinical, forensic, and emotional support aspects of your role?
This can be very challenging as a healthcare clinician working in the field of forensic nursing. We often have conflicting obligations.
As a nurse we have an obligation to provide patient centred, trauma- informed care but as a SANE we also have an obligation to the criminal justice system to provide impartial evidence. I find the best way is to involve the multidisciplinary team.
Before we can conduct an examination, the person must be medically cleared by the doctor including social work and/or indigenous liaison early in the process. This can help to assist with emotional support and practical solutions, which allows me to focus on the evidence collection.
My approach is to ensure that all victim -survivors are informed of the process and their choices, which I continually reaffirm throughout the process.
How do you and your team look after your own wellbeing when working in such a challenging space?
Vicarious Trauma is a real issue in this field of nursing and self-care is very important.
As a team we debrief and I check in with the team members post examination to ensure they are okay and give them an opportunity to debrief. As the team grows and the service matures, we are looking to formalise this process.
Team members can also take a step back from the roster for a period when life gets busy to help us to maintain the work/life balance.
What gives you hope or motivation in continuing this critical work?
The commitment and dedication the team has shown over the years is inspirational from the humble beginnings with probably eight trained SANEs sitting around a table trying to figure out how we were going to manage a 24/7 on-call roster, to the service we have today.
We continue to grow our team and currently have the largest number of trained and credentialed SANE/SAMEs we have ever had.
I feel very positive about the direction the service is taking and the support we continue to receive from Forensic Medicine Queensland and the WBHHS executive team.
Many of us have our own personal reasons for becoming a SANE but as a group we want to ensure we can provide a trauma-informed service that supports and provides options to victims of sexual violence.