A sexual assault nurse examiner is a professional who cares for sexual assault victims while also gathering evidence that can be used to track down and prosecute their attackers. Sexual assault nurse examiners are required to complete extensive training in forensic nursing and sexual assault issues. They frequently work in ERs and other medical settings where sexual assault victims are likely to be seen. As part of their care for victims, they typically complete a rape kit, and they may be called upon to testify in court about their findings.
Many countries, including the United States, have laws requiring that evidence for sexual assault be gathered in hospital emergency rooms. Rape kits, which include various receptacles for collecting physical evidence from the body of a rape victim, are available in the emergency rooms. When sexual assault victims are taken to the hospital, they are treated for any injuries sustained during the assault and given the option of using a rape kit to preserve evidence for law enforcement. Rape kits can take a long time to complete, which can be problematic in an emergency room setting where doctors and nurses are frequently needed to treat life-threatening medical emergencies. A traumatized rape victim may have to wait several hours for treatment, and the rape kit may be interrupted frequently as doctors and nurses are called to attend to critically ill or injured patients.
The role of sexual assault nurse examiner was created out of concern for the well-being of sexual assault victims. These nurses are given specialized training in rape kits, forensic medical equipment, and other medical issues related to sexual assault trauma. A sexual assault nurse examiner is always on call in many hospitals for the treatment of victims brought to the hospital. When a sexual assault nurse examiner starts working with a victim, he stays with them until the rape kit and any other treatment is finished.
The laws governing the practice of a sexual assault nurse examiner differ by jurisdiction, with some limiting sexual assault nurse examiners to working with adult victims unless they have received specific pediatric nursing training. Unless the nurse examiner is a licensed nurse practitioner, the laws may limit a sexual assault nurse examiner’s ability to diagnose specific conditions. Nurse examiners are frequently regarded as expert witnesses in court, and they will be asked to testify about their findings if the case of one of their patients goes to trial.