On Call SANE 24/7

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Hi there,

I had been interested in being a SANE since I worked at a doctor's office. We have very specific protocol when addressing a patient who may have been involved in a violent incident. As I was doing research on SANE organizations, it became clear that a SANE is on-call 24/7 and should be ready to go at a moment's notice, at least this is what I took away from the literature I read.

If you are on call 24/7, are SANEs at a clinic? I thought I saw stories of SANEs who got paged while at home - does this happen often or does it depend on other factors, such as working at a clinic or in a hospital? I read in a SANE manual that it can or at least should take a SANE to be with the victim within an hour - if you are at home are you expected to live nearby the clinic or hospital where the victim is usually taken?

Any information is appreciated! Thanks!

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Usually, SANEs work at local ERs or urgent care centers. At clinics, I understand that they are on call during clinic hours. At ERs, they are on call 24/7. You respond to the facility at which you are employed.

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Usually, SANEs work at local ERs or urgent care centers. At clinics, I understand that they are on call during clinic hours. At ERs, they are on call 24/7. You respond to the facility at which you are employed.

Thank you! I was hoping that was the answer; but for some reason I saw literature that implied you would be at home when paged.

Thanks again for the clarification :cat:

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You could be at home when paged if you work at a 24 hour facility...I don't really know of many clinics who use SANEs. Most clinics that would handle that kind of issue would probably refer a person to an ER.

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I see what you mean! Do SANEs typically have shifts? I'm assuming it depends on how many are working at any given facility.

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As a SANE, you may work regular shifts at your place of employment just like any other floor nurse. For instance, a SANE could work the regular three 12 hour shifts per week in their ER, but then be on call on their time off as a SANE. Some places with multiple SANE certified RNs may rotate call so that one SANE isn't overstressed, but that depends on the location/number of SANEs.

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This is great! Thank you so much @SoldierNurse22. Your responses have been extremely valuable! I'll do some more research with my local SANE organizations and see if I can get some volunteer experience too.

You're awesome! Have a great day :cat:

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No problem! Best of luck to you.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Our SANE program has a calendar on which we sign up for call days, usually outside our regular ER shifts. Sometimes if there is no SANE to fill a call slot, SANEs who are at work in our ER will be designated on call. If a case comes in, we would call one of our managers to provided coverage in the ER while we do the case.

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Our SANE program has a calendar on which we sign up for call days, usually outside our regular ER shifts. Sometimes if there is no SANE to fill a call slot, SANEs who are at work in our ER will be designated on call. If a case comes in, we would call one of our managers to provided coverage in the ER while we do the case.

So from what I understand - SANE cases are typically given to you when you are not on shift as an ER nurse? I'm assuming, then, that you would be home if you get pages to come in?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
So from what I understand - SANE cases are typically given to you when you are not on shift as an ER nurse? I'm assuming, then, that you would be home if you get pages to come in?

We get a phone call when there is a case and we are on call for that time period, yes. We have 90 minutes to respond, but we usually get there much sooner.

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We get a phone call when there is a case and we are on call for that time period, yes. We have 90 minutes to respond, but we usually get there much sooner.

Ah good to know. I suppose my concern lies in not living close enough to the hospital where I would go to meet with the victim. Plus I don't have a car right now. Of course, these concerns are way in the future so I'll probably get my act together before then. :cat:

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