A $1.4 million grant will help IU Health increase the number of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners in the state

Indianapolis, Indiana – According to Indiana’s healthcare providers, there is a critical lack of nurses who are specifically educated to care for victims of sexual assault and gather vital evidence that is needed to hold offenders accountable.

The state’s largest forensic nursing unit is located at Indianapolis’ IU Methodist Hospital, although not all counties have Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANEs. throughout reality, according to IU Health, as of 2020, there were just 32 forensic nurses working throughout Indiana’s 92 counties.

“We see approximately 250 victims of sexual assault annually,” IU Health Methodist’s forensic program coordinator Natalie Calow said. “Sexual assaults that occur outside of the county have increased.”

According to Calow, there is a severe shortage of forensic nurses in rural areas of Indiana, which results in a significant gap in service.

She explained, “so they have to travel for up to two hours to get a forensic exam.” “Moreover, driving for a few hours for a forensic examination is the last thing you want to do after going through a traumatic experience.”

According to IU Health, the number of Methodist Hospital patients in need of this kind of care increased from 1,486 to 2,053 between 2019 and 2023, a 40% increase. In 2023, Riley Hospital for Children handled 127 patients who were 15 years of age or younger and had experienced sexual abuse or assault, according to IU Health.

More forensic nurses in rural areas are desperately needed, as a large number of patients come from distant counties.

“Our aim is to train and educate these nurses in rural hospitals so that we can provide more services across Indiana,” Calow explained.

With a new $1.4 million federal grant, the Indiana University School of Nursing and the Indiana University Health Foundation intend to do precisely that. nearly the following three years, nearly 300 SANEs will receive training thanks to the funding.

“We’re offering the training, the clinical experience, and the materials to assist rural hospitals in launching a program,” stated Calow.

IMPD reported that there have been 254 rape cases in Circle City alone so far this year, an increase from 249 at this time last year. In addition, the department records 232 additional sexual offenses this year, compared to 285 at this same point in 2023.

IU Health anticipates that the new program and grant funds will contribute to a statewide increase in the number of forensic nurses capable of managing these cases.

Director of Grants at the IU Health Foundation Cassandra Tice stated in a statement, “We need more SANEs to gather that evidence. Without evidence, our criminal justice system can’t be as successful at prosecuting offenders.” “More SANEs will guarantee that justice is done and aid in the healing of survivors.”

Healthcare professionals also hope that victims themselves will learn more about this new initiative.

Paula Reiss, the resilience coach and program liaison from the IU School of Nursing, asked, “How many people out there that never come for help?” “As a patient, you may feel more pressure to visit the hospital in order to receive the care you require if you are aware that this kind of specialized care is available.”

Registered nurses with a minimum of two years of experience in clinical practice are eligible to apply to the program. October is when it starts.