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A health system's nurse examiner program supports survivors.
Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, and only six out of 1,000 rapists end up in prison. These numbers are deplorable by any measure, and they prompted Texas Health Resources, Arlington, to create a program to help support survivors of sexual assault.
Sexual assault nurse examiner programs train and equip a specialized nursing staff to work with victims of sexual assault, using standards set by the International Association of Forensic Nurses. When community clinics, rape crisis centers and hospitals began implementing SANE programs across the country, a U.S. Department of Justice report showed a 95 percent increase in successful prosecution of cases where evidence was collected by a certified SANE.
At Texas Health Resources, we saw the impact a SANE program could make, and we began supporting certified SANEs at several of our hospitals in 2007. Since that time, Texas Health has expanded its SANE program to 13 hospitals. That effort began with a few nurses who were passionate about caring for sexual assault victims.
Getting Started
Texas Health Plano was a pioneer in providing SANE services, in conjunction with a communitybased program in Collin County, located just north of Dallas and one of the fastest-growing counties in the country. The hospital created its Serenity Suite in 2007, which was specifically designed for attending to sexual assault victims in that it maximizes the patient's privacy to lower the risk of further trauma. The suite includes a family waiting area, children's play area, clinical exam room, private shower and bathroom, and interview area for law enforcement and social services. Development of the SANE services was initially supported by a...