The Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs (KASAP) reports that victims of sexual assault endure a number of long-term physical and mental challenges stemming from the attack.

Not only do victims have to wait for a long time to be examined, but those who perform the exams often lack training and experience in working with sexual assault victims and in gathering forensic evidence.

A program at University of Louisville Hospital has worked to change that.

The Louisville Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program began in Louisville more than a decade ago as part of University Hospital’s Trauma Center. It provides specially trained nurses to conduct medical exams for male and female sexual assault victims aged 14 years and older.

Today, the program has expanded to two area locations: one within the hospital’s Emergency Department and the other at the Center for Women and Families. Eight SANE-certified nurses are currently on staff. The SANE nurses become an integral part of the multidisciplinary team investigating the assault and help provide fast, confidential and compassionate care to the victims.

Along with identifying, documenting and treating the patient’s immediate injuries, SANE nurses collect evidence of the assault, which, with the patient’s permission, is turned over to police for use in a criminal investigation. A SANE nurse must also know how to deal with patients’ mental anguish, says Melissa Edlin, who coordinates the Louisville SANE Program and is SANE certified.

“As a staff RN in the emergency department, it became part of my responsibility to care for victims of sexual assault,” Edlin said. “After taking the SANE training, I slowly began to understand the dynamics of the sexual assault, as well as the healing process that the victim must travel going from victim to survivor.”

Along with helping sexual assault patients, University Hospital helps those who deal with these cases through a series of continuing education courses. The latest course, called SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Exam) Compliance Training, addressed updates to the state and federal laws guiding sexual assault exams.

The training focused mainly on compliance with HB 500, a Kentucky law enacted in July 2010 that requires any hospital operating an around-the-clock emergency room to have someone available to perform sexual assault exams for patients on request. A physician or a SANE certifed nurse can conduct the exam. The law applies whether or not the victim wants to report the assault to law enforcement.

“If the individual chooses not to report the crime, but wants the evidence collected, it is imperative that facilities have a system in place where these kits will be maintained. The hospitals will be responsible for maintaining the chain of custody of these kits,” Edlin explained.

For more information on the Louisville SANE program or upcoming training sessions, contact Edlin at melissed@ulh.org.