Indiana Regional Medical Center has announced a new partnership to help victims of sexual assault.
(from L to R: Ian Spears, SAFE-T Center; Marsha Freije, SAFE-T Center; Wendy Haislip, IRMC Chief Nursing Officer; Sheridan Miyamoto, SAFE-T Center; Audia Boyles, Executive Director of Alice Paul House; Kelsey Onder, RN, Site Champion; Molly Cochran, RN; Norm Fry, RN, Emergency Dept. Manager; Hannah Berkavich, RN. Photo courtesy IRMC)
At an event on Tuesday, IRMC joined with law enforcement officials, the District Attorney’s office and other community partners to announce their partnership with the SAFE-T system. The telehealth partnership guarantees victims of sexual violence will have immediate access to a board-certified sexual assault nurse examiner who has extensive experience. The nurse will have access to the live exams in progress, making sure that best practices are followed, that evidence is properly gathered and maintain a safe and supportive environment for the patient.
IRMC Emergency Room Coordinator Hannah Berkavich said that the program will benefit not just the hospital, but also the victims of sexual assault.
Sheridan Miyamoto, director of the SAFE-T Center and Associate Professor of Nursing at Penn State said that the goal is “to make sure the on-site nurse feels supported and confident during the exam and that the patient knows they are getting the best care possible.
IRMC Chief Nursing Officer Wendy Haslip called the service “invaluable”, especially with the 24/7 access they will have.
Typically, access to these nurses is limited to large sexual assault centers in urban areas, but this partnership will be able to bring the system to IRMC. Sexual assault forensic services are available every day through the hospital’s emergency department.
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