Journal of forensic nursing
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Human trafficking is a human rights violation and a global health problem. Victims of human trafficking have medical and mental health sequelae requiring specific healthcare interventions. Healthcare professionals may be the initial contact that these victims make outside the world of trafficking. ⋯ Skilled assessment made by a forensic nurse alerted the healthcare team to clear features of human trafficking associated with this person. Through this case report we illustrate the key role the nurse played in identifying signs of human trafficking. Improvement of human trafficking educational programs is highlighted as a key adjunct to improving detection and facilitating the proper treatment of victims.
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Sex trafficking is a widespread form of human trafficking that exists globally. The forced sexual exploitation of young women for profit at the hands of traffickers is a human rights violation. ⋯ Viewing domestic minor sex trafficking through an ecological lens assists in the understanding of the multiple complex interactions between victims, their relationships, and environments that influence their health. Forensic nurses are poised as experts in the healthcare of vulnerable populations and possess the knowledge to understand that social determinants of vulnerability depend on the distinct setting or environment where victims of sex trafficking reside and how different factors affect their victimology, resilience, and well-being.
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The aim of this study was to understand prosecutors' perspectives on the contribution of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) to evidence collection and trials in sexual assault cases. ⋯ These findings help validate SANEs' contribution to the criminal justice response to sexual assault, despite the study's limitations in sample size and inclusion of only one jurisdiction. The study also suggests the value of further education about SANEs for prosecutors who may not have the opportunity to learn about the range of skills SANEs possess.
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There are over 243,800 female sexual assaults in the United States annually. Of those who seek healthcare services after being sexually assaulted, 90% present to hospitals. Unfortunately, care and services for women who have been sexually assaulted are inconsistent. ⋯ This study also showed that 35.5% of hospitals represented by the respondents did not have SANE services available for adult patients who had been sexually assaulted, and furthermore, 85.5% of the respondents who cared for adult patients who had been sexually assaulted were not SANE trained. The negative attitudes held toward such patients as found in this study, coupled with a lack of training provides evidence that ED nurses may benefit from education related to appropriate treatment for patients who have been sexually assaulted. As evidence-based practice becomes the gold standard of care, ensuring that nurses are properly trained to care for all patients must be the goal.
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Traditional educational methods for new sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) have had a gap in time between didactic instruction and the application to forensic nursing practice. In this interval, which can take several months, SANE trainees must locate a preceptor and perform at least 10 pelvic examinations. Only then can they apply their didactic knowledge and pelvic examination skills to actual patients presenting for forensic examinations. In 2011, Kansas City educators developed SANE-A-PALOOZA, a program that eliminated this gap, facilitated a unified educational experience, and ensured rapid integration of knowledge and skills. ⋯ Skills education via a hands-on immersion experience can address the gap between didactic and hands-on clinical experience for SANEs.