CCMH receives grant for nurse training

Campbell County Memorial Hospital will soon begin a program with nurses trained as Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) through a grant from the Wyoming Division of Victim Services.

The $147,000 grant will provide training and salaries for six nurse examiners, community education and outreach and pay for a program coordinator for two years.

SANE nurses receive 120 hours of clinical training and perform 16 hours of court observation. They also receive training with a qualified proctor to perform examinations before being credentialed by the Wyoming Department of Health.

According to Emergency Department Clinical Supervisor Julie Norlin, RN, MSN, the SANE program will result in better evidence collection and an increase in reporting of sexual assaults.

"Only about 33% of these cases are now reported," said Julie. "We hope to increase that number with this program, which includes education in the community and the schools."

Norlin is passionate about caring for vicitms of domestic violence and sexual assault.

"This is an injury to your soul," says Julie. "It can take years for victims to fully realize what happened. Counseling starts from day one, because they re-live the situation when you talk to them."

Norlin hopes to have the SANE program in place in the CCMH Emergency Department by mid-October.