UW-Milwaukee training program addresses shortage of sexual assault nurse examiners

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- UW-Milwaukee is working to boost the number of sexual assault nurse examiners in Wisconsin.

These medical professionals are trained to provide trauma-informed care when a victim of rape or sexual assault goes to the hospital to be treated.

Right now, Wisconsin has less than 100 professionals trained to provide this kind of care.

UW-Milwaukee launched a grant-funded program to provide this training to nurses for free, focusing on culturally informed care for victims.

"We believe that sexual assault nurse examiners with their great training and their support of other nurses in the field, really do the best job at patient centered care for survivors of violence," said Jacqueline Callari Robinson, UW-Milwaukee research assistant.

There are 10 nurses enrolled in the program now and the goal is to get more funding to continue to train new nurses in the future.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says health care providers need to look for signs of sexual violence, ask questions in a sensitive manner and provide assistance.

"Our hope is to train as many nurses as possible," said Callari Robinson.

Dr. Peninnah Kako is the director of the UW-Milwaukee sexual assault nurse examiner training program. "The good thing about having this program within an academic setting is that we're using principals of evidence-based practice ...we're wanting the nurses to know why they're doing what they're doing," said Dr. Kako.

Dr. Kako says women of color experience sexual assault at higher rates, so the program focuses on culturally responsive trauma care.

"The numbers are really highly underreported and, in that regard, it's not really just a Wisconsin issue. We know that it's a national issue," she said.

Dr. Kako says she's hoping for more funding to continue the training program for years to come.