* Since it has become very apparent, during the Tonya Craft trial, that many people were under considerable misconceptions, as far as the role of the pediatric forensic nurse examiner role in suspected child sexual abuse cases, I am currently writing posts on that topic. I hope they'll be educational and informative.
Sharon Anderson, the pediatric SANE nurse who testified as a state witness in the craft trial, has been vilified and ridiculed by on line bloggers, forum members, and the media.
She's been accused of being both incompetent and in cahoots with the prosecution and accusers.
I read through every article I could find regarding her testimony, did a considerable amount of research for three weeks, and saw no evidence of any misconduct or incompetence.
In fact, what I did see, was extreme emotional overload, prejudice and, what appears to be, very selective writing of her testimony, by the bloggers and media alike.
Pediatric Forensic Nurse Examiner Training
D-Lo "What did Sharon Anderson say, she's a nice woman, had a week long training back in 1999"
Whether it's Forensic Nurse Examiner (FNE) or SANE, they are the essentially the same thing, except for a slight difference. The SANE initials stand for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and the FNE initials stand for Forensic Nurse Examiner.
As FNE's we do not do only sexual assault exams but domestic violence as well. Each state decides on their own programs and initials.
In order to obtain a forensic nurse training and position, he/she must be an experienced RN first. In my state, at the time I got mine, it was required that the RN have experience either in Critical Care or Maternal Child health.
There's a reason for this. In order to go on to advanced programs, such as for the forensics nurse examiner, each RN must have a good working knowledge of the body's systems, disease processes, mechanism of injury, and patterns of injuries, etc.
Hmmm . . . Let me see ... did I happen to read any mention of that by the bloggers or news media? Ugh ... Nope.
Sharon Anderson was an experienced RN before taking the SANE course in her state. She may not have had 20 years experience but she was experienced enough to take the SANE training course.
Then, she worked as a SANE nurse for 10 years afterwords. Considering the typically high turnover of SANE nurses, that's a long time. Most I've known stayed a year or two at best.
Degree VS Non Degree
Much has been made about the fact that Sharon Anderson had only a two year degree. Well, to those people, and others who may think that really counts, I have to ask:
When was the last time, as you lay in a hospital bed, or in the ICU, that you bothered to ask your nurse if she had a 4 year degree?
Never? I didn't think so. That's because sick patients could care less what type of degree their nurse has. All they care about is that they receive good, compassionate, competent care and understanding from their nurse.
That's the way it should be. Since when does a nurse have to have a certain piece of paper in order to provide good care? Well, I guess, since the Tonya Craft trial, now.
The fact of the matter is, a four year degree is not required to work as a forensics nurse, anymore than it's required for a nurse to work in any area of a hospital, including the ED, ICU, or CCU.
I have worked with many fine nurses, in critical care units, who had a two year degree.
I've worked with nurse managers who had a two year degree. A friend of mine worked in the Shock Trauma Unit and she had a two year degree.
Most of our training comes after nursing school, not during. It's on the job training and experience that really counts.
Nor is a four year degree required to testify as an expert. We are experts because of our unique training, skills, and experience.
At the advanced age of 55, I went back to school for my degree, part time, and am near finished, but I had decades of experience, including adult & pediatric ICU, CCU, Neonatal ICU, open heart recovery room, and the burn unit - all without that four year degree. I have been subpoenaed numerous times and have testified as well.
So, to all those who were loudly condemning Sharon Anderson for working or testifying, without a four year degree, I say they were singing a false tune there.
My fellow blogger, who was shouting the loudest, should have heeded my advice when I communicated, privately, that whomever he was getting his "SANE" information from was incorrect and needed to brush up.
My fellow bloggers, the news media, and those in the forums, all should have bothered to take a look at the requirements before shredding her professional reputation in public.
* This post has been altered slightly from the original to improve content and clarity.
I have divided this post to shorten and make for easier reading. Forensic Nurse Training is now in part II
As a nurse for 18 years I whole-heartedly agree. I don't know anything about this Tonya Craft trial but your comments regarding a 2 yr vs. 4 year degree are right on the money. I am a 2 yr degree nurse and I have seen plenty of 4 yr degree nurses giving extremely poor care. Unfortunately lay people have no idea regarding what kind of education or training is required and what is unnecessary to properly perform an RN's job. Well said!
Posted by: Jennifer Reiter | July 13, 2011 at 01:31 PM
It is not on the years of service but on how equipped our nurses with knowledge on promoting proper care to their patients. The building foundation of our nurses was the institution where they earned their degree.
Posted by: Tony Jhonson | August 21, 2012 at 12:57 AM