This study examines emergency nurses’ experience with the use of telemedicine for sexual assault patients.
The result of this study on emergency nurses’ experience with telemedicine for sexual assault patients suggest that the implementation of live sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) consultation may be a promising strategy to improve access to specialized sexual assault care. Most emergency medical clinicians are not trained to conduct forensic sexual assault exams yet are often the first to care for survivors of recent sexual assault. Before the implementation of live sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) consultation provided via telemedicine (“teleSANE”) in one state, results of an online survey of emergency nurses (N = 116) found only 13% felt extremely confident providing quality forensic sexual assault examinations. Two-thirds of emergency nurses felt using teleSANE during sexual assault care would support their clinical decision-making skills. (Published Abstract Provided)