inSANE

I don't really have much to BLOG about today and am not in the right "frame of mind" to post an ethical question (besides, maybe those questions require too much thought, as I'm not getting much feedback), so I will just BLOG about my past week. Last week I was privileged to attend a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) course. This was a really big deal for me for a couple of reasons... 1) I have been working on my SANE certification for over a year now and 2) I am getting ready to move to a new assignment and the hospital I am currently at did not want to train me since I will not be staying here to benefit this facility. Basically, I had to do a little begging, but it paid off. So, Monday-Friday, I sat through long days of classroom lectures and videos of some pretty interesting and, at times, disturbing stuff. I have been learning how to collect Forensic Evidence from a victim of sexual assault. This is probably much more difficult than it sounds and is nothing like CSI makes it out to be. We did some role playing in class that was very difficult. Having been given scenarios, we were put in teams of three and were told to act out the part of the SANE, the victim, and an advocate. I can only imagine how hard it would be for an assault victim to come in and tell a perfect stranger of the atrocities that have taken place. I found it humiliating just acting out a scenario that was made up. As a trained medical professional, it is hard, as well, to use language that is on the level of the victim... because this is a medico-legal exam, you must remain unbiased throughout. I would like to encourage anyone who is interested in being a victim's advocate (this is the role of the caring/compassionate person) to contact their local emergency department or women's shelter to find out how you can volunteer. If you are associated with the military, contact your SARC (sexual assault response coordinator) to learn how to volunteer. To be an advocate, you do not need any medical background, just a kind, compassionate heart and a desire to give time to someone in need. This is not just a position for women, but men, too. There are many men out there who are assaulted who could use a helping hand in dealing with this crisis. This coming week, I have to go through a mock exam on a live model (who would volunteer for such a thing as vaginal speculum exam?!?!?) to prove my worthiness. I am very nervous about this part. As a NICU nurse, I do not really do adult assessments, so this is a new arena for me. Most others in the class are nurses that deal with adults, many from OB/GYN, labor and delivery, etc... Wish me luck and I will post later in the week to let y'all know how it goes.