Dear Emergency Department Directors:
Earlier you may have heard about the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) course. The SANE course, supported by the US Department of Justice, is a 40-hour course for experienced Emergency Department (ED) nurses. Nurses who complete the course are able to perform the nursing/forensic episode of care for the sexual assault victim in the Emergency Department. Nurses are also prepared to take the Certification Exam offered through the International Association of Forensic Nurses. This course has been available in Mississippi for sixteen years and is a joint effort with the MS Department of Public Safety, Department of Health, Office of the Attorney General, and the University of MS Medical Center, School of Nursing. The model has been very successful in as it frees the attending physician, provides a nurse with expertise, and moves patients through the ED in a more efficient way. In cases that go to court, the physician is also freed from testifying, and the nurse is specially trained to do so.
The next SANE course will be held at Baptist Hospital on February 29-March 4, 2016 in Jackson, MS. The course outline is enclosed. Registration is online: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/W6PB9WY
Anyone can e mail me to register as well. This extensive course does include a live model skills lab and a mock trial. MSCASA does not charge tuition for the course, but the nurses can purchase **CEU’s (40.5 Contact Hours) for $50.00. There is now a scholarship available that covers salary and travel related expenses. Please e mail me for more information.
As you choose which nurses to send, do consider nurses with experience and an interest in serving victims of sexual assault. MSCASA will be glad to familiarize your physicians, hospital administrators and legal team with the SANE model, and let them know this nursing role is endorsed by the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Please register your nurses promptly to make sure an adequate number of training materials are prepared. Only register those nurses who are certain to attend. Participants will receive a packet with all course details and instructions. Please contact me if you have questions, my email address is ShalottaSharp@aol.com . I look forward to hearing from you!