Yellowstone Times

Montana State University, in collaboration with local partners, is making progress in training sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) to support victims of sexual assault across the state. The initiative, backed by a $1.5 million grant awarded in July 2024 by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, aims to train 40 nurses in its first year.

The grant funding is being utilized by MSU's Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing and the Montana Office of Rural Health and Area Health Education Center. The program's goal is to improve access to SANEs, who provide essential services like physical examinations, connect victims with resources, and collect evidence for investigations.

Sarah Wangerin, the training director, emphasized the importance of training, given the sensitivity of the care provided by SANEs. "To know what information and what tests to collect, to know what to say to this patient, to know the standard of care they should be receiving — those are the kinds of things that SANE nurses are in a unique position to provide," she stated.

Currently, more than half of Montana's counties do not have trained SANEs, requiring patients to travel long distances, sometimes over 250 miles, for necessary examinations. Pediatric care access is particularly limited, with only 13% of counties equipped with a pediatric SANE.

Sydney Hunsaker, the program coordinator, highlighted Montana's high rape rate, which exceeds the national average by 10%, particularly affecting Native American communities, women, and people aged 10-19. She noted the significant need for this training given Montana's rural nature.

Registered nurses undergo a rigorous process to become SANEs, including 41 hours of training, 16 hours of clinical skills, and a comprehensive exam. Training costs are approximately $3,000 per nurse, covering stipends, tuition, and travel costs.

So far, the program has scheduled five training sessions for 2025, with locations including Billings, Lewistown, and the Flathead Reservation. Two training sessions specifically focus on pediatric SANE curriculum. Currently, 46 nurses are registered for the training, with 80 more in the enrollment process.

Hunsaker provided data to underscore the workload faced by SANE nurses. For instance, in 2023, Kalispell's Logan Health reported its two SANEs conducted a significant number of forensic and medical consultations and exams.

Due to this demanding workload, SANE nurses are at risk of burnout and often experience isolation, particularly in rural areas. To address this, the grant includes efforts to build a statewide network for support and collaboration, including debriefing sessions, webinars, and skill refresher courses.

Looking to the future, Stacy Stellflug, the grant's principal investigator, is focused on sustaining the program. "We’re thinking about how we continue and sustain this program going forward," Stellflug said. Plans include developing an online course facilitated by the Montana Office of Rural Health and Area Health Education Center to make training more accessible.

Collaborators such as the Montana Health Network and the Montana Department of Justice's Sexual Assault Response Network Committee are crucial in this effort. The initiative aims to alleviate the burden on existing nurses while expanding access to SANEs throughout Montana.

"We want to be mindful of their expertise and what they bring to the table," Stellflug noted, acknowledging the value of the existing nurses’ experience.

Nurses interested in the training program have the option to fill out an interest form or reach out to Sydney Pearce via email.