NMCSAP

Working to prevent sexual abuse and sexual violence in New Mexico

By

Roles and Responsibilities of a New Mexico SANE

1. The general mission of a SANE program is to “provide services to sexual assault victims by providing prompt, compassionate, culturally sensitive and comprehensive medical treatment and forensic evaluation by nurse experts within a coordinated community response.”

  1. The power point presentation expands upon each of these components of the SANE mission statement. 
  2. Take the time to review and understand the purpose of SANE. Repeat the mission statement out loud, perhaps a couple of times, until it feels comfortable to you.
  3. Practice your own working definition of a SANE mission statement. Pretend a friend asks you “What is this new work you’re taking on? What is SANE all about?” How will you respond?
  4. Compare your response to the mission statement. Did you capture the essential who-what-when-where-how components?

2. Qualifications for being a New Mexico SANE (attached)

  1. Read the attached Qualifications for being a New Mexico SANE
  2. Many of the recommended qualifications for being a SANE come from the International Association of Forensic Nursing (IAFN), the professional agency that guides forensic nursing as well as sponsors the recommended SANE certification process. If you are interested in learning more about the IAFN, their website is www.iafn.org.
  3. The Qualifications for being a New Mexico SANE have been in place since 2001 and applies to over 200 nurses in New Mexico who have taken on this challenging work. Currently, there are about 70+ practicing SANE nurses in New Mexico. You will be joining a strong and cohesive team of professional nurses and nurse practitioners.
  4. Please review the Qualifications and make sure you meet and understand the criteria. Have you reviewed these already with SANE program that is hiring you? Are there any points that you have questions or concerns about? If yes, discuss them with your SANE Program Coordinator prior to attending the SANE training!

3. Process for becoming a SANE

  1. The IAFN and the U.S. Department of Justice have standardized the educational content for SANE. The National Training Standards for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiners are available for review at www.safeta.org.
  2. New Mexico meets the national standards by offering 64 nursing CE hours for a combined adult and pediatric initial SANE training. Completion of all self-study modules and attendance at all six days of the initial SANE training will result in a “certificate of completion” of training.
  3. The IAFN also recommends other components to become a SANE. These extra steps are often referred to as the “SANE precept process.” It is expected that a new SANE will complete the following:
    1. Complete the initial didactic training. For those states that combine adult and pediatric, the training and certificate of completion must reflect a minimum of 64 nursing CE hours.
    2. Obtain clinical competencies with normal genital exams, speculum insertion and removal on live patients. 
    3. Ensure competencies with equipment.
    4. Shadow an experienced SANE through an actual sexual assault exam a minimum number of times and be shadowed by an experienced SANE through an actual sexual assault exam until competency is achieved.
    5. Obtain courtroom observation hours of a violent crime such as sexual assault, homicide, or domestic violence.
  4. What are the specific precept expectations of your SANE Program? Your program may have additional requirements. Take the time to meet with your Program’s Clinical Coordinator and start planning how you will fit the precept requirements into your schedule.
  5. SANE’s who complete the precept process in a timely manner (within 2 to 3 months) are more apt to practice as a SANE longer, so start planning now how you can commit time and energy to complete your precept process!

4. Roles and Responsibilities of a New Mexico SANE (attached)

  1. Review Roles_Responsibilities_NM_SANE_PPT (in PDF format)

Qualifications for Being a New Mexico SANE – Adult/Adolescent

The qualifications outlined below are the recommended minimum qualifications for being a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) in New Mexico for adult and adolescent sexual assault patients. These recommendations are outlined by the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs and members of the State SANE Task Force, and are based on national standards. Individual SANE Programs may have additional and/or advanced level qualifications for their employees or contractors.

Purpose of a SANE

The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) will provide timely, non-judgmental, compassionate care to the sexual assault victim. The SANE exam may include a forensic exam, prophylaxis for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, photographic documentation, referrals for appropriate medical and psychological follow-up, support and participation in legal proceedings. The SANE uses the New Mexico Sexual Assault Evidence Kit (SAEK) for forensic collection within five (5) days of an assault.

Community SANE Programs

For communities in New Mexico with an existing SANE program, a nurse must be sponsored by the SANE program to attend the statewide SANE training and either be hired or have the intent to be hired with the SANE program.

For communities without a formal SANE program, the SANE nurse must actively be starting the formal SANE Service Agreement, have prior support from the medical facility and other multi-disciplinary team members of the community, and coordinate with the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs for technical assistance, forms/protocols and site visits and plans for developing a SANE program.

SANE Qualifiactions: Required

  • Current New Mexico Registered Nurse Licensure or higher, with current CPR or BLS certified
  • Individual or employment-based malpractice insurance (1,000,000/3,000,000).
  • Minimum two (2) years nursing experience required; specialty experience recommended, ranging from women’s health, emergency department or intensive care, public health or psychiatry
  • Completion of the New Mexico Statewide SANE 6-day didactic training
  • Proof of demonstrated competency by a qualified preceptor in clinical components to include 
    • Conducting normal genital exams, for both male and female
    • Shadowing an experienced SANE and being shadowed by an experienced SANE through actual sexual assault exams

SANE Qualifications: Recommended/Strongly Encouraged

  • BSN for education requirement preferred
  • Demonstrated autonomy and professional judgment in nursing practice
  • Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum (TNCC) or equivalent recommended for non-hospital-based SANEs
  • Observation hours in a violent crime courtroom

SANE Job Responsibilities

  • Ability to triage patient to determine if medical exam is needed before forensic exam.
  • Coordinate and advocate compassionate patient care by all agencies involved in sexual assault cases
  • Perform and document sexual assault and forensic interview accurately.
  • Perform complete physical and forensic examination to include head-to-toe assessment for trauma, detailed genital examination, forensic specimen collection and documentation, including photography, referrals as needed, and assess for mandatory reporting status and report when appropriate.
  • Maintain chain of custody and adhere to evidence protocols as determined by SANE program
  • Ensure patient/medial record confidentiality at all times.
  • Maintain professional standards that do not create conflict of interest with employment or patient care.
  • Administer/refer for appropriate prophylactic medications per protocol to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
  • Provide competent testimony as fact witness to any/all cases performed while as a SANE and coordinate with attorneys during judicial process.
  • Ability to respond to calls within first page per protocol as determined by SANE program.
  • Commitment to work minimum scheduled number of shifts to maintain current, clinical competencies as determined by SANE program.

Maintenance of SANE Credentials

  • Actively engaged in conducting SANE exams in New Mexico with no lapse of service greater than six months and conducting at least six exams per year.
  • Med-test upon initial SANE practice and every other year
  • Participate in periodic case review to include documentation and photographs
  • Participate in SANE program staff meetings for on-going professional development
  • Participate in community multi-disciplinary team for coordinated community response
  • Obtain on-going clinical education hours relevant to sexual assault or forensics
  • Membership in professional organization, such as the International Association of Forensic Nursing, strongly recommended
  • Successful completion of SANE-A certification strongly recommended after two years of practice

SANE Certification

  • SANE certification for Adult-Adolescent (SANE-A) is provided by the International Association of Forensic Nursing (IAFN).
  • SANE-A Certification is recommended after two years of SANE practice.Nurses who complete the New Mexico SANE training receive a certificate of completion for the training – not certification. The certificate of completion of the New Mexico SANE didactic training is required by the Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs for reimbursement of the SANE case fee.

Reciprocity for Out-of-State SANE Training

  • For SANE nurses trained out-of-state wanting to work with an existing New Mexico SANE Program, the individual SANE Program determines hiring and appropriate precept skills, providing necessary guidance and oversight for the out-of-state trainee.
  • For SANE nurses trained out-of-state and wanting to work in a New Mexico community without an existing SANE program, the required SANE qualifications detailed on the first page apply.
MENU