Pediatric emergency care
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Pediatric emergency care · Jul 2008
Impact of sexual assault nurse examiners on the evaluation of sexual assault in a pediatric emergency department.
Nearly 44% of sexual assault victims in the United States are younger than 18 years. These victims often present to emergency departments for care after the assault. To date, the effectiveness of sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) on the evaluation and management of pediatric and adolescent sexual assault victims in a pediatric emergency department (PED) has not been evaluated. ⋯ Many more patients who had been sexually assaulted received STI testing, pregnancy prophylaxis, and referrals to the Rape Crisis Center when a SANE was present for the evaluation in the PED. Even with a SANE providing medical care, not all eligible patients had medical record documentation of the GU examination or that they received appropriate STI testing or STI and HIV prophylaxis. Ongoing quality assurance in programs that use SANEs is needed to ensure optimal medical evaluation of children and adolescents with sexual assault.