Advocate Condell joins Madigan, IHA to support SANE program
Advocate Condell Medical Center officials joined Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the Illinois Hospital Association on Wednesday to announce a joint effort led by her office to double the number of sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE) in hospitals statewide.
Advocate Condell is one of the first hospitals in the state – and the only hospital in Lake County – to have an on-call SANE nurse available 24/7 to aid survivors of sexual assaults. The Libertyville medical center began staffing SANE nurses around the clock earlier this month. Condell also is the first Level 1 Trauma Center within Advocate Health Care with a coordinated SANE program.
Madigan said the addition of SANE nurses is a critical step to encouraging more survivors to report their assaults and putting sexual predators in prison. Madigan and the Illinois Hospital Association will work to double the number of SANE nurses practicing in hospitals to 150 and implement a SANE program in each of Illinois' 11 trauma regions by the fall of 2012.
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners are specially trained to work with survivors of sexual abuse. Treatment, documentation and evidence collection are standardized. The nurses stay with the patient and the forensic evidence at all times, preserving the chain of custody. SANE nurses work with law enforcement officials through the legal process, including testifying in court.
“This is truly a partnership with our community for better care,” said Advocate Condell President Ann Errichetti, MD, MBA. “If we can be there for the victims, what a wonderful thing this is for our patients and our community.”
Having an on-call SANE nurse at all times means sexual assault survivors will always have a compassionate and dedicated nurse who is able to guide follow-up care, said Condell's SANE Coordinator Jennifer Slominski, RN.
“How a victim is treated in the initial period following the assault can make a huge difference," Slominski said. "It begins their healing process from that day forward. Not only is it emotionally more comforting for the patient, but it also saves evidence from being lost while he or she waits."
The program at Condell has been in the works for almost two years, according to Jody Jesse, Emergency Department director.
“It is simply the right thing to do for the victims of sexual assault,” said Jesse. “It shows the compassion and care for the patient, and it also shows our collaborative efforts to be partners in care with the community.”
Although Advocate Condell's current focus is on the care of the patient, the program eventually will include partnering with the county to educate women on how to avoid becoming a victim.
“The Illinois Hospital Association and the hospital community are pleased to collaborate with the Attorney General on this important initiative to assist survivors of sexual assault by increasing the number of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners in our hospital emergency departments,” said Maryjane Wurth, IHA president. “Our hospitals are committed to providing the highest quality, compassionate care to these survivors as well as critical forensic services needed for the prosecution of offenders to help keep our communities safe.”
Advocate Health Care has been among the first to commit, with programs at South Suburban Hospital and Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, and continuing at Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago, where Wednesday's announcement was made. Advocate has pledged to add SANE programs throughout its health care system.
“Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) programs have greatly benefited Emergency Departments and, more importantly, the victims of sexual assaults and abuse,” said William Maloney, MD, Medical Director of Advocate Condell's Emergency Department. “A SANE would be my choice if I had a loved one who was the victim of one of these crimes.”
Protecting survivors of sexual assault has been a priority for Attorney General Madigan since she took office. Most recently, her office worked with state lawmakers to pass the Illinois Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Act, making Illinois the first state in the nation to implement a law mandating the submission and testing of sexual assault evidence. Under the act, local law enforcement must submit DNA rape kits to Illinois State Police crime labs for testing within 10 business days of receiving the kit from a hospital, and ISP must analyze the kit within six months of receipt.
About Advocate Condell Medical Center
Advocate Condell Medical Center is the leading provider of comprehensive medical and surgical services in Lake County, with state-of-the-art heart, neurosurgical, maternity and emergency services. Condell's emergency department is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in Lake County, Illinois, treating the area's most seriously injured patients. Advocate Condell also is the only Lake County hospital to staff ICU intensivists 24 hours a day, and features the only dedicated pediatric emergency department. Advocate Condell is also the only Lake County hospital to feature all private adult patient rooms.