SANE Clinical Skills Training

On Saturday, October 10^th seven nurses participated in clinical skills training at Crisis Center of Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida.  This course provided hands-on training for nurses who had previously completed a 40 hour didactic Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) course with FCASV or Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.  This training allowed participants to obtain eight experiences relating to different aspects of the genital exam with live patients who had been hired to receive the exam for training purposes.   During this one-day session, four SANE-A proctors contracted through Crisis Center of Tampa Bay worked with students to guide and observe them through various skill stations.  The overall goals of the training were to allow students to gain confidence in the process of the forensic exam and obtain written assessments of their skills.  At the end of the training, students deemed competent by the four proctors were given signed competency forms that they can use to go forward and sit for the national SANE-A exam with the International Association of Forensic Nurses.

This project required close coordination with the two host agencies and was modeled on the program created by New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (NMCSAP).  Participants were selected based on an application process in which they were asked to submit information on their training background, experience, and commitment to SANE practices.  Those selected to attend the training were admitted free of charge and received CEU credit once completed. 

The training opportunity was prompted after many previous SANE training participants reported having difficulty finding opportunities to practice their skills and gain enough experience to sit for the national exam and become SANE-A certified.  FCASV contacted NMCSAP after learning of the program that had been carried out there.  NMCSAP staff generously shared documents detailing the training and FCASV then adapted the model to suit the needs of Florida students.  Crisis Center of Tampa Bay provided stellar coordination and medical direction on the training as well as the facility to house the training. 

“The experience was well worth my time and helped me with my practice” noted one participant who successfully completed the training, “this helped me gain more confidence in my techniques and evidence collecting routine.  I will study for the certification exam and take the test with my colleagues.”  FCASV and Crisis Center of Tampa Bay are hopeful providing more training opportunities like this will significantly increase the number of competent, practicing SANEs around the state.