My first SANE exam...

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So, I did my first SANE exam, and I expected it to be much more difficult than it was... I followed all the paperwork, and asked all the questions, however, I did not "dig" for information... I figure it was my job to get the mechanism of the assault, and the physical evidence, right? (not exactly feeling like a cop...) I just remember others talking about how it was such a "nightmare" and not feeling so much like it was like that. I felt like it went well, and I was fairly well prepared... I attended a class in Syracuse for training... a GREAT class, this fall. My question is, is it normal to come out of your first exam NOT feeling like it was a nightmare??? I did learn some valuable lessons re: process of the exam...

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Congratulations on your first exam as SANE, amy. You are in probably the most patient-supportive areas of nursing. Kudos to you.

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Great news for you!:balloons:

I too, want to go into the SANE field of nursing...(I am just in my nurse school prepping stage). How long was your training for? And did you attend any of the SANE workshops, seminars prior to going into nursing?

Thanks and good luck.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Congratulations on taking the journey toward SANE certification.

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Specializes in CCU, MICU, SICU, TELE, MED/SURG.

I have a question about the SANE. I just got done doing the course at Quinnipiac University and I have to do a few hours with the colposcopy and a court criminal case but I don't know how to start prepping for the exam for certification. Does anyone have a website? a link?

By the way Amy, congratulations.

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Specializes in ER/Nuero/PHN/LTC/Skilled/Alzheimer's.

Congrats to you. I tip my hat to you because I can't handle being a SANE nurse. Have a hard enough time as it is doing my regular job, not going to add the stress of evidence collection and seeing kids assaulted to that. Good Luck!

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Specializes in CCU, MICU, SICU, TELE, MED/SURG.
Congrats to you. I tip my hat to you because I can't handle being a SANE nurse. Have a hard enough time as it is doing my regular job, not going to add the stress of evidence collection and seeing kids assaulted to that. Good Luck!

Thanks Lupin. It does take a certain stomach :scrying: to do that but I specialize in adults not pedes :no:. I, like you, can not stomach that stuff. However, my professor who is from Oregon has had 14 years of pediatric sexual assaults and thanks to her a lot of the perpetrators were able to keep their hands off these kids:argue:. We need someone out there to protect our kids and I thank God every day for people like her :bow:.

She is actually considered expert witness in several states, and she is brilliant! :yeah: I can only admire her for her courage :bow: and thank her for taking the task a lot of us are unable to do :banghead:.

This certification just opens the doors for me to help another population and I feel priviledged to be qualified to do so :nurse:.

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Specializes in CCU, MICU, SICU, TELE, MED/SURG.
Great news for you!:balloons:

I too, want to go into the SANE field of nursing...(I am just in my nurse school prepping stage). How long was your training for? And did you attend any of the SANE workshops, seminars prior to going into nursing?

Thanks and good luck.

I am in my graduate studies :banghead: and the SANE certification was an elective. I was actually in the Forensic Clinical Nurse Specialist track but I just switched to Adult NP. The Forensic field allowed me :coollook: to see a little into the window of the investigation part. It is amazing what we can do when we are prepared appropriately.

Kudos! in your studies. Stay the course and persevere!:wink2: It is very difficult to deal with this population but it is very rewarding to know when a perp has been caught :argue: and you helped :nurse:.

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Specializes in ER, Labor and Delivery, Infection Contro.

Amy,

Congratulations on your first SANE exam. I did not think the exam was a nightmare-but the paperwork was a little daunting-making sure everything was filled out correctly, labeled correctely, which copies goes where. But as far as the patient part, it went really well. SANE nursing is for me one of the most satisfying things I do as a nurse. It is truly patient-centered as the previous poster noted. I am meeting with someone at a critical juncture and can really help set a tone for healthy support and healing. I love the autonomy and responcability. I can't change what has happened, but I can help that patient get on the road to recovery and growth. And on occassion, my evidence collection can help put a perputrator behind bars. I would encourage any nurse to talk with another SANE to get more information about this specialty. It is well worth it.

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Specializes in OB, Telephone Triage, Chart Review/Code.

Are you full time with this or "on call"? I am interested but would like a more full-time steady position.

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Specializes in PACU, Surgery, Acute Medicine.
Are you full time with this or "on call"? I am interested but would like a more full-time steady position.

My understanding is that it's ER nurses who get SANE-certified. So they work as ER nurses, and if a rape case comes in, the SANE nurse is assigned to that patient. Does anyone know for sure...?

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Specializes in CCU, MICU, SICU, TELE, MED/SURG.
My understanding is that it's ER nurses who get SANE-certified. So they work as ER nurses, and if a rape case comes in, the SANE nurse is assigned to that patient. Does anyone know for sure...?

Well, I'm not a ED nurse but because I have this training, I could be called to the ED and assigned to a victim. These exams may take (depending on the degree of the assault) up to 8 hours to complete the test, the paperwork, the conversations with the rest of the team (especially law enforcement) etc. Some people draw a contract where the hospital calls them when there is a victim because this is all they do and some are considered expert witnesses in a court of law.

It just depends on your area too.

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