JFL Nurses Complete Training To Become Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners

ST. CROIX — Eleven registered nurses (RN) from the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center (JFL) will now be able to conduct sexual assault examinations for victims of rape, the hospital announced today. The JFL nurses, along with nurses from the Roy L. Schneider Regional Medical Center (SRMC) and other healthcare providers completed a 40-hour Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner/Sexual Assault Response Team (SANE/SART) certification training on St. Croix and St. Thomas last week.

Representatives from the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council (DVSAC), Womens Coalition, the Virgin Islands Police Department, Bureau of Corrections, Virgin Islands National Guard, and the University of the Virgin Islands also participated in the training.

The SANE/SART certification training began on Monday, July 18 at the Virgin Islands Cardiac Center on St. Croix, and was held via video-conference for the St. Thomas participants. Dr. Linda Ledray, who is the founder and director of the SANE/SART Resource Service in Minneapolis, Minnesota conducted the week-long training for 45 total participants. Dr. Ledray was assisted by Attorney John Wilkinson of AEquitas: The Prosecutors’ Resource on Violence Against Women.

DVSAC partnered with JFL and SRMC to offer the training, which was provided at no cost to the attendees. Funding was made possible through DVSAC’s State/Territory Coalition grant from the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women, Sexual Assault Services Program. Ordinarily, the cost for the 40-hour training could run from $600 to $2000 per participant.

“The SANE/SART certification training is critical to ensuring that survivors of sexual assault receive care from providers who are proficient in conducting forensic examinations in a manner that is professional, confidential and sensitive to the complex nature of sexual assault,” said DVSAC Executive Director Khnuma Simmonds-Esannason.

“In prioritizing this training for our healthcare practitioners, we hope to send a resounding echo to survivors throughout the Territory that we are committed to their safety, justice and healing; and in doing so, we are dedicated to collaborating with our community partners in the process, such that they can do the same,” she added.

Completion of this week’s certification training allows RNs to conduct forensic exams for sexual assault victims. The registered nurses will also qualify to become certified SANEs with additional hours of certification training and successful completion of the exam, according to J.F.L.

JFL Vice President of Education Terry Lynch applauded the collaboration, which also seeks to work with other community partners to create a Territorial SART.

“The JFL team celebrates this training opportunity which provides the foundation for launching a multi-agency task force focused on improving services for victims in the territory,” Ms. Lynch said. “Each participating agency works toward promoting advocacy, law enforcement, and healthcare services for victims. It is critical that all stakeholders work as a collaborative team to provide a standardized approach to optimize victim services in our community.”

RNs from JFL’s Emergency Department, Case Management, Risk Management, Clinical Care Coordinator and Education Departments participated in the training.