Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Training

Become a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner with the IU Health and IU School of Nursing Academic-Practice Partnership for Forensic Nursing

Forensic nursing is a unique specialty that combines the art of nursing with health care science as well as the legal system to help bridge the gap between medicine and law.

Forensic nurses provide comprehensive care to victims of violence, offering detailed medical forensic exams, while placing medical and emotional well-being as the priority. A forensic nurse can be a registered nurse (RN) or an advanced-practice nurse (APN).

There are a variety of subspecialties within forensic nursing, including forensic nurse examiner (FNE), sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) for adolescent/adult or pediatric patients. There is also forensic nurse death investigator (NDI) or nurse coroner, forensic psychiatric nurse, forensic clinical nurse specialist, legal nurse consultant, forensic gerontology specialist, and correctional nurse, SWAT team nursing and more.

Trainings

Resources

Job openings

The IU Health and IU School of Nursing Academic-Practice Partnership for Forensic Nursing Training, Practice, and Retention is a grant-funded program, awarded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). These training opportunities are funded by HRSA Grant #T96HP53171.

The IU Academic-Practice Partnership for Forensic Nursing provides multiple training opportunities

  • 40+ hours of didactic forensic SANE training
  • a two-day forensic SANE simulation training
  • an up to 60-hour clinical preceptorship
  • a variety of evidence-based continuing education opportunities to enable forensic SANE-trained nurses to maintain and advance skills and competencies
  • peer support and sharing of best practices through networking and mentorship

Learn more about becoming a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE)

SANE is an acronym for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. SANEs are trained to provide care to patients through a medical forensic exam. The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner role is one of the many roles of a forensic nurse.

SANEs provide medical forensic exams, including a comprehensive medical forensic history, and implement a post-sexual assault plan of care and continuity of care.

SANEs may also be called to serve as a fact or expert witness by the legal system. These healthcare providers must understand the legal and medical implications of their care.

The medical forensic exam, or Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) exam, is a comprehensive head-to-toe exam performed by a registered nurse to preserve evidence of a sexual assault.

The examination includes gathering information from the patient for the medical forensic history; a physical exam; coordinating treatment of injuries, documentation of biological and physical findings, and collection of evidence from the patient. The exam also includes documentation of findings; information, treatment, and referrals for STIs, pregnancy, suicidal ideation, alcohol and substance abuse, as well as non-acute medical concerns. Follow-up is also important to provide additional healing and treatment.

  • Minimum of two years in clinical practice as a registered nurse
  • Each registered nurse must have a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number (Please read the instructions at the link carefully as it is a two-step process.)
  • Completion of the application process, which includes two letters of recommendation
  • Completion of an interview
  • Signed class policy agreement

Depending upon your interest or where you work, you may choose to participate in:

  • Adult/Adolescent didactic and clinical courses, which are for the care of Adult and Adolescent patients ages 14 or older
OR

  • Pediatric didactic and clinical courses, which are for the care of pre-pubescent children

Please note: Adult/Adolescent and Pediatric courses are not the same as each course prepares the attendee for the unique needs and care of the different age groups, The Adult/Adolescent and Pediatric course also has a separate clinical requirement.

First, you will need to complete an initial 40-hour didactic education component in either Adult/Adolescent or Pediatric BEFORE the clinical education component. (The clinical education component is NOT mandatory.) Scroll down to see our training opportunities and to apply.

Additional training options are available after the didactic education and clinical education components have been successfully completed.

Pediatric

Spring 2025 dates: February 4, 11, 18, 25, and March 3 & 11, 2025
Will meet in person from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for this six-week course
IU Health Ruth Lilly Health Education Center, 2055 N. Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Registration Deadline:
January 3, 2025

This course fulfills the didactic requirement for training in pediatric forensic nursing care. The content of this course includes, but is not limited to, trauma-informed care, prepubescent anatomy and physiology, growth and development, documentation, evidence collection, collaboration with community partners, discharge planning, and follow-up specialty care for pediatric and early adolescent patients ONLY (Tanner stages I & II) or sexual maturation (Tanner stages I & II). PLEASE NOTE: This class does not prepare you to care for the older adolescent or adult patient.

Attendance at every class is required to complete this course.

Application Process: 

  • A letter of recommendation from your manager is required
  • Once you have received the above letters of recommendation, upload both letters and complete the application.
  • Your National Provider Identifier (NPI) number. You will need this number as part of the application process. (Here's the link to the NPI website: https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov.)
  • The final step in the application process is a 1:1 conversation/interview to discuss the course requirements and expectations and to answer any questions you may have. This will be arranged with you once your application is uploaded.

Apply here for the SANE Pediatric Didactic Course

Training will be held June 17, 2025
Will meet in person from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Simulation Center at Fairbanks Hall, 340 W. 10th St., Suite 4100, Indianapolis, IN 46202

This non-mandatory course will provide participants with simulation-based clinical training so trainees can practice offering sexual assault exams.

Applications coming soon!

Course to be scheduled soon. Please check back for more information.

SANE Continuing Education

Thursday, January 16, 2025 and Thursday, June 26, 2025
Will meet in person from 1 to 5 p.m.
IU Health Ruth Lilly Health Education Center, 2055 N. Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Instructor: Calvalyn Day, MsED, TICC

Lead coach and consultant Calvalyn Day, MsED, TICC, has practiced as a school counselor and coach helping individuals achieve personal and professional goals. Calvalyn is a nationally published author, speaker, and trainer working with multi-million dollar mission-driven organizations. Calvalyn's style blends the right amount of information and inspiration to create transformation for clients. Calvalyn is trained in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, collaborative problem solving and the Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) foster family screening tool.

Apply for the January 16 training here

Monday, March 10, 2025
Will meet in person from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
IU Health Ruth Lilly Health Education Center, 2055 N. Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Kristina Korobov and Kathleen Nolan, attorneys with Zero Abuse Project, will be presenting during this Testimony Training in March.

Kristina Korobov is a senior attorney with Zero Abuse Project. She brings 20+ years of experience as a prosecutor and trainer in the areas of crimes against children and crimes of sexual and domestic violence against adults.

Kristina previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. There, she was the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, prosecuting cases involving internet crimes against children and sex trafficking of minors.  These prosecutions included sextortion, child solicitation, and hands-on offenses, as well as crimes involving trafficking in child sexual abuse material. She worked cases with the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and served as the co-chair for the state’s anti-trafficking task force (IPATH).

Kristina has been training on a national and international level since 2003 and formerly served as a senior attorney for the National Center for the Prosecution of Violence Against Women (NCPVAW), a division of the National District Attorney’s Association (NDAA) in Alexandria, VA.

Kathleen Nolan is a senior attorney with Zero Abuse Project. She brings 15+ years of experience as a prosecutor in the area of child protection.

Kathleen previously served as the Chief of the Children’s Justice Division in the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office in Madison County, Illinois. The Children’s Justice Division handled the charging and prosecution of all child victim cases in the county including physical abuse, sexual assault and child deaths. Her role as Chief of the Division also involved mentoring and training the attorneys she supervised. She also created and presented specialized trainings for members of the Madison County Multi-Disciplinary Team including police, forensic interviewers and Department of Children and Family Services workers.

As a board member of the Southern Illinois Child Death Investigation Task Force, Kathleen worked with a team of professionals across Southern Illinois to create more effective procedures for the examination of suspicious child deaths. Her work as a board member including the creation and presentation of trainings for the various members of the task force.

Apply here for the March 10 Testimony training

Thursday, March 20, 2025
Will meet in person from 1 to 5 p.m.
IU Health Ruth Lilly Health Education Center, 2055 N. Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Presented by Alaine Kreeger

Alaine Kreeger is a forensic scientist/DNA analyst in the Biology Unit of the Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency. She has been with the laboratory for 12 years. She has a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Forensic Biology and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Pharmacy with a concentration in Forensic DNA/Serology.

Stay tuned! Application for this opportunity coming soon!

This course will focus on the medical aspect of strangulation, community and collaborative relationships, legal aspects of strangulation, and the strangulation assessment.

Strangulation cases often require a multidisciplinary approach involving healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and legal experts. Participants will learn how to identify injuries, including the possibility of internal injuries that require prompt recognition and intervention. Legal definitions and implications surrounding strangulation are discussed, along with the need for accurate documentation, investigation practices, and legal proceedings.

It's critical for SANEs to have continuing education opportunities to ensure patients receive the highest quality of care. 

We're currently developing a schedule for continuing education opportunities. Please check back for more information soon.

Additional Services

It can be challenging to maintain clinical competencies for forensic nursing programs in rural communities. Utilizing training mannequins and skills rubrics aligned with national standards of practice, a certified forensic nurse will travel to hospitals throughout Indiana to perform competency assessments and provide up-to-date evidence-based education to SANE teams. 

Email Darienne Kreeger to learn more and schedule an IN-Service.

We know that building and maintaining a forensic nursing program can be daunting, but we're here to help. Contact Darienne Kreeger to schedule a time to discuss first steps, next steps, challenges, and staffing models with one of our experienced forensic nursing program leaders.

Meet the IU Academic-Practice Partnership for Forensic Nursing Team

Barbra Bachmeier

JD, MPH, MSN, APRN, NP-C, CPH, DF-AFN, FAEN
Project Director
IU Health
Email Barbra

Natalie Calow

MSN, RN, CEN, AFN-C
Center of Hope Forensics Coordinator
IU Health
Email Natalie

Darienne Kreeger

BSN, RN, GFN-C
SANE Project Coordinator
IU Health
Email Darienne

Paula Reiss

MSN, RN, FAEN
Certified Health and Wellbeing Coach
IU School of Nursing faculty
Email Paula

Molly Bauer

PhD, RN, CEN, TCRN
Principal Investigator
IU School of Nursing faculty
Email Molly

Still Have Questions?

Contact the Center for Professional Development and Lifelong Learning at the Indiana University School of Nursing at cenurse@iu.edu.

Other SANE Training Opportunities
Basic Sexual Assault Photography

This eight-hour course with Tri-Tech Forensic Training helps familiarize SANEs and others with photographic techniques that can be used to document injuries and other evidence associated with the investigation of sexual assaults. (This course is not part of the IU Academic-Practice Partnership for Forensic Nursing, and tuition fees will apply.)

This website is supported by the HRSA of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of Grant #T96HP53171. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.