Ready for Anything

A Holistic Approach to Training Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners

Abstract

Although numerous training options exist for sexual assault nurse examiner certification, most focus on specific certification-related content rather than on creating a holistic preparation for sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) practice. Holistic preparation may be preferable for SANE trainees who are early in their nursing careers or who have practiced in limited clinical environments. This article describes a holistic training approach implemented at a SANE training site funded by the Advanced Nursing Education initiative of the Health Resources and Services Administration. Training covers hands-on pelvic and anal examinations, community education, underserved communities, self-care, and other topics that support newly trained SANEs in establishing and maintaining practice. This content has prepared trainees for a wide variety of patient encounters as well as for engaging with the community. With this approach, our trainees have the opportunity to enhance their ability to provide SANE care and to provide additional resources within their primary practice environments.