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What is a SANE?

A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) is a professional registered nurse who has received specialized forensic education in order to provide comprehensive care to adult, adolescent and child victims of sexual assault. A SANE demonstrates clinical competence in the collection of forensic evidence from victims of violence and suspects, and has the ability to provide expert testimony in a court of law. SANEs work collaboratively with law enforcement, prosecutors, victim advocates, and community agencies. Experienced SANEs can be certified as SANE-A (adult/adolescent) or SANE-P (pediatric) following a board examination through the International Association of Forensic Nurses .

Educational Offerings

UCCS currently offers four forensic nursing courses for continuing nursing education credit: SANE, AFNE, DFSA, and SANE Practice Review.

• Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE)
  The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) education includes 66.5 hours of classroom and didactic education followed by completion of 90 hours of clinical experience. The education is provided over 7 days and addresses holistic care for, and appropriate forensic evidence collection from, adult, adolescent and child survivors of sexual assault, as well as suspects/perpetrators of violence. After completing the classroom component, nurses complete 90 hours of mentored, clinical experience, with a practicing SANE, Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) or physician. The clinical experience is structured in adult and pediatric acute and non-acute settings, as well as a judicial component that includes observation of criminal trial proceedings and expert testimony. The UCCS SANE course meets the requirements for future SANE certification, offered by the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN). SANE courses are offered several times a year, both at UCCS and at hospital facilities throughout Colorado.

• Advanced Forensic Nurse Examiner (AFNE)
  The Advanced Forensic Nurse Examiner (AFNE) course is provided over three days and expands on the education and experience of practicing SANEs. The course covers additional healthcare issues that involve a forensic exam, including intimate partner/domestic violence, strangulation, child maltreatment, elder abuse, and human trafficking. AFNE is typically offered once a year in the Fall at UCCS.

• Drug-facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA)
  In many cases of sexual assault, drugs or alcohol are involved. Appropriate management of drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) requires additional forensic evaluation. To learn more about how drugs are used to facilitate sexual assault and how healthcare professionals should care for patients suspected to be victims of a drug-facilitated sexual assault, view our free, online, recorded Webinar at any time.

• SANE Practice Review
  SANE Practice Reviews are offered to existing SANE programs that request additional training for their practicing SANEs, and can be modified to include specific topics. Contact Val Sievers to request a SANE Practice Review at your hospital. These courses are offered throughout the year at the requesting hospital.

UCCS also offers a certificate in Forensic Nursing. To learn more, visit the Forensic Nursing Certificate page.

UCCS SANE, AFNE, DFSA, and SANE Practice Review courses are approved for continuing nursing education credits. Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences at University of Colorado Colorado Springs is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Colorado Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Provider#: BEC-0114, Exp. Date: 01/31/2014

SANE Course Qualifications

Qualifications for nurses to attend the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner education include:

• A minimum of 3 years of clinical experience in direct patient care in the areas of
  • Emergency nursing
  • Pediatrics
  • Women's health
  • Acute care/critical care practice

Completion of all components of the Colorado SANE classroom curriculum as well as 90 hours of clinical experience is required.

2012-2013 SANE Course Dates

Grey background indicates completed course

For those traveling to Colorado Springs to attend a SANE or AFNE course, UCCS has agreements with several local hotels for reduced pricing for students. View Hotel Accommodation Information.

For assistance with the registration process or general questions, e-mail bees@uccs.edu or Contact Us.

Faculty

Valerie Sievers MSN, RN, CNS, CEN, SANE-A, SANE-P
Forensic Clinical Nurse Specialist
vsievers@uccs.edu 
719.255.3585

For more than 15 years,Ms. Sievers worked as the statewide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Project Director and in 2004 moved the position, funding, and education to Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. As a Forensic Clinical Nurse Specialist, Val provides advanced education to healthcare professionals regarding an evidence based approach and appropriate collection of  forensic evidence from adult, adolescents, and children affected by abuse and violence. Val has more than 30 years of experience as a registered nurse with extensive practice in the arena of emergency and trauma services as well as critical care nursing. She is currently certified in emergency nursing as well as both adult and pediatric sexual assault nurse examiner. Val's professional affiliations include:

• International Association of Forensic Nurses
• Emergency Nurses Association
• American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children
• National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists
• Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing

In 1995, Val and emergency nurse colleagues developed the first SANE program in Colorado at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs. Since 1995, SANE programs have been developed in more than 15 Colorado communities. Val continues to provide forensic healthcare to adolescents and children at Safe Passage, the Children's Advocacy Center of the Pike's Peak Region.

Visit Forensic Nursing in Colorado to learn more about Forensic Nursing in Colorado including existing SANE programs, quarterly newsletters, and the SANE Community Development Manual.

Copyright 2002-2013 Beth-El College of Nursing & Health Sciences
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Last Updated: March 18, 2013
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