University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Launches New Program to Increase Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners

The College of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has started a new initiative to increase the number of sexual assault nurse examiners, which are in short supply both in Wisconsin and nationwide. Currently, there are fewer than 100 sexual assault nurse examiners in Wisconsin. Of these, even fewer are certified.

A sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) nurse is a registered nurse with specialized training and education to work with patients who have experienced sexual assault, abuse, or incest. These nurses receive specialized training in forensics because of legal issues involved, according to Penninah Kako, associate professor of nursing and director of the new project. In addition to increasing the number of certified nurse examiners, the initiative is focused on preparing nurses in culturally responsive care.

The program will also include mentoring, which is vital because the challenging work can lead to burnout. “It’s really hard work to provide care for traumatized survivors,” Dr. Kako said. “Nurses are trained, they come in, but then they leave. The attrition is high.”

“Each time they encounter a patient, they’re having to live through that patient experience. So it’s not only a skill set in terms of the physical things you need to learn to do, but there’s a huge emotional and psychological component,” added Laura Bennett, teaching, learning and technology manager at the nursing school.

The first group of nurses starting the program will go through the 12 online modules in about two months, including a day of clinical lab experiences at the university’s nursing simulation centers. The goal, said Dr. Kako, is to train 10 nurses the first year and grow that to 40 nurses by the end of second year. The curriculum will provide a pathway to certification by the International Association of Forensic Nurses.