Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault
Report date
April 2019
What has been most instrumental to your progress?
One of the key components of our grant activities were the relationship building activities that our SANE Program engaged in with partners in the forensic medical field. Through outreach and networking we were able to develop strong relationships with the Hibbing Fairview SANE Program on the Iron Range. We also deepened our relationship with the Minnesota Chapter of the IAFN (International Association of Forensic Nurses). Our Lead SANE at PAVSA currently serves as the Board President of the MN IAFN Chapter and has connections with SANE nurses across the region and state. Regularly sharing resources and case reviews with other SANEs has improved the practice of all the practitioners and deepened their expertise in forensic medicine.
Another important aspect of this grant for our SANE Program was the increased hours that our Lead SANE nurse was able to spend formalizing our policies and procedures. Over the course of the grant period, our program transitioned from paper charts to an electronic medical record. We also formalized our orientation for new SANEs and emphasized mentorship and relationship building with more experienced SANEs. This has improved our recruitment and retention of qualified SANE nurses. In addition to improving our policies and procedures through formalization, the increased paid time that our Lead SANE had to invest in the program resulted in more professional training for medical providers in hospitals, outreach to nursing programs across the region, and CEU educational opportunities via case reviews at our monthly meetings.
Key lessons learned
Another important lesson that we learned is that investing time in formalizing policies, procedures, and program structure results in stronger program sustainability for the long term. Thanks to the investment made by the Bush Foundation, our program has experienced strong recruitment and retention of SANE nurses. We have also provided the 40 hour SANE A training for nurses from across the NE MN region, resulting in more experienced providers in communities including Mille Lacs, Hibbing, Virginia, Two Harbors, White Earth, and other more rural settings. Having a strong, professionally recognized SANE Program means that we are confident that we will continue to provide critical victim services and continuing education opportunities for our partners from smaller jurisdictions.
Progress toward an innovation
I do believe that we are closer to innovation - but still have not ascertained how we will best respond to the issue of access to forensic medical exams in every community in Minnesota. Due to challenges with capacity, low patient volume, few trained SANE practitioners and other practical difficulties, a dedicated SANE Program at every health care facility is just feasible. I believe that telemedicine will play a big role in this field as time goes by and will help inexperienced medical providers to have access to an expert via video conference in real time.
What it will take to reach an innovation?
Resources are always needed. There are some interesting pilots of telemedicine SANE models, allowing a trained SANE nurse to see a patient at any facility with a secure video link. This development continues to evolve, but at this time it seems that this would be the best way to ensure that victims whether they live in rural or urban Minnesota will have access to the best post-assault exam and services feasible. The field of forensic medicine continues to evolve and we are paying close attention to new developments and innovative practices other SANE Programs are implementing.
What's next?
Our intention is to maintain the many important relationships we have made with MNCASA, MN Chapter of IAFN, Hibbing Fairview SANE Program, Northern St. Louis County Sexual Assault Program, St. Luke's Hospital, Essentia Health, and many, many others. We will continue offering twice annually the opportunity for SANEs from across the state to join the PAVSA SANE Program at our team meetings for clinical case review, relationship building, and CEUs.
If you could do it all over again...
It is okay to not know the right answers as long as you are willing to ask - and listen - to the input of those most effected.
One last thought
We apologize that this report is late. We misunderstood this 2/5/2019 email communication from Maggie Arzdorf and presumed it meant that we had already submitted a final report for this grant:
Thank you for completing the final report for your Community Innovation Grant work. We really appreciate the time and thoughtfulness that you put into the report. It was valuable for us to read and will certainly benefit the broader community as well (we share all of our grantee reports online).I enjoyed reading it and have a couple of specific thoughts to share:
Your efforts to engage the original stakeholders on the Range to conduct the work identified in the original grant is to be commended. Process work is always difficult and particularly when primary partners withdraw from the process.
Your connections to the Hibbing group are positive and we appreciate that services to victims of sexual assault in that area are stronger.
While not the original intent, it seems that increased and stabilized staffing in Duluth improved services and support for Victims.
It has been an honor to work with, and learn from, your staff over the past years. We will look for wayto stay connected with
Thank you for completing the final report for your Community Innovation Grant work. We really appreciate the time and thoughtfulness that you put into the report. It was valuable for us to read and will certainly benefit the broader community as well (we share all of our grantee reports online).I enjoyed reading it and have a couple of specific thoughts to share:
Your efforts to engage the original stakeholders on the Range to conduct the work identified in the original grant is to be commended. Process work is always difficult and particularly when primary partners withdraw from the process.
Your connections to the Hibbing group are positive and we appreciate that services to victims of sexual assault in that area are stronger.
While not the original intent, it seems that increased and stabilized staffing in Duluth improved services and support for Victims.
It has been an honor to work with, and learn from, your staff over the past years. We will look for wayto stay connected with