Trauma- and Violence-Informed Empowering Care for Sexual Assault Survivors

Authors

• L. B. Klein, Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work
• Jessica Melnik, University of Wisconsin - Madison
• Kimberly Curran, Dane County Multi-Agency Center
• Jeneile Luebke, University of Wisconsin - Madison
• Kaylen M. Moore, Marquette UniversityFollow
• Ashley Ruiz, Arizona State University
• Cassilynn Brown, Dane County, WI
• Diara Parker, coLiberate eesign
• Isabel Hernandez-White, University of Wisconsin - Madison
• Kate Walsh, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2024

Publisher

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

Source Publication

Journal of Forensic Nursing

Source ISSN

1939-3938

Abstract

Background

Forensic nurse examiners, including sexual assault nurse examiners, provide care for survivors holistically through healthcare, emotional support, connection to follow-up care, safety planning, and, if desired, evidence collection to aid in the prosecution of sexual assault. There is increasing recognition that trauma-informed care must also include an understanding of the impacts of structural violence on minoritized patients to ensure health equity.

Aim

To help address this guidance gap, we expanded Campbell and colleagues' empowering care model using a trauma- and violence-informed care (TVIC) lens.

Methods

We used an iterative discussion-based process that included five joint meetings between a seven-member transdisciplinary research team and a five-member nurse advisory board.

Results

In a TVIC-informed empowering care model, we propose behavioral examples for forensic nurses for each of Campbell et al.'s five key domains of empowering care for forensic nurse examinations (i.e., build rapport and establish trust, show compassion, provide patient-directed care, convey professionalism, and provide resource referral and follow-up).

Conclusions

These behavioral examples for nurses can help guide forensic nurse training and practice to reduce disparities in treatment and follow-up support. Structures and systems are needed that enable forensic nurses to provide trauma- and violence-informed empowering care to survivors of sexual assault and, over time, increase the accessibility of forensic nurse examinations and improve patient outcomes.

Comments

Accepted version. Journal of Forensic Nursing, Vol. 20, No. 3 (July/September): 166-173. DOI. This article is © 2024 International Association of Forensic Nurses. Used with permission.

Recommended Citation

Klein, L. B.; Melnik, Jessica; Curran, Kimberly; Luebke, Jeneile; Moore, Kaylen M.; Ruiz, Ashley; Brown, Cassilynn; Parker, Diara; Hernandez-White, Isabel; and Walsh, Kate, "Trauma- and Violence-Informed Empowering Care for Sexual Assault Survivors" (2024). College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications. 1274.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/nursing_fac/1274