SANE program exceeds expectations

The college received a Health Resources Services Administration grant in 2021 to launch a program that would nearly double the number of nurses trained in providing care to sexual assault survivors over a three-year period, with a specific focus on expanding care in rural areas. 

The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program, now in its third and final year, has had participants from roughly half of all Michigan counties, including solid representation from northern Michigan and Upper Peninsula counties. Initially slated to train about 150 nurses, the program is now on pace to train more than 200 nurses. 

Project Coordinator Autumn Ashley said it has been inspiring to see so much participation from across the state. In addition to the program, organizers have started a monthly seminar series discussing SANE-related issues. Both have been great opportunities for participants to build networks.

“We’ve been bringing nurses together across the state that might normally not have a chance to get together,” Ashley said. 

Participant feedback has helped course coordinators to tweak the curriculum for the SANE program including adding transgender and male cases to the clinical skills workshop.

Getting practice hours has still been a challenge for the program, but Ashley said that just underscores the need for more SANE-trained nurses across the state and community engagement. 

“The nurses we are meeting are so grateful for ­­this opportunity,” said Ashley. “We continue to see so much interest in the program. Hopefully, this means more survivors don’t have to drive long distances to get the quality care they need and deserve.”

Additional information about the program is available here.