Providence Intervention Center for Assault and Abuse earns Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing
The designation will expand forensic nursing services beyond Snohomish County.
[2 min read]
In this article:
- For three decades, Snohomish County’s Providence Intervention Center for Assault and Abuse (PICAA) has supported abuse victims with care, dignity, and forensic expertise.
- PICAA provides care to more than 1,000 patients annually who have experienced sexual abuse and assault, intimate partner violence, and other forms of violence.
- As industry leaders, they’ll now be able to train forensic nurses throughout the region.
The International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) recently designated PICAA as a Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing: one of four sites in the country, and the only not-for-profit, hospital-based location selected.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The designation includes grant funding to train forensic nurses outside of Providence to extend this important work to other communities. The designation came after a lengthy vetting process, including a site visit, meetings with leadership teams at Providence and Dawson Place, job shadowing and more.
Once the training program launches, twelve nurses are expected to go through the program annually, expanding forensic nursing services throughout the state and beyond. Among the four designated sites, the IAFN estimates 80 forensic nurses a year will be deployed in their local communities.
THE BIG PICTURE
PICAA’s ability to train Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) and Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFEs) strengthens the SANE workforce and provides survivors of sexual violence access to highly skilled forensic professionals.
Increasing the number of Sexual Assault Examiners in the workforce is vital for several reasons.
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- It ensures that more survivors of sexual violence receive timely, compassionate, and expert care, which is crucial for their physical and emotional recovery.
- Forensic nurses play a key role in collecting and preserving evidence, which can be pivotal in prosecuting offenders and delivering justice for victims.
- With the rise in reported cases of sexual violence, the demand for SANEs and SAFEs is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.
- It ensures that more survivors of sexual violence receive timely, compassionate, and expert care, which is crucial for their physical and emotional recovery.
According to recent projections, the need for forensic nurses will continue to escalate as awareness and reporting of sexual violence increase, highlighting the importance of expanding this workforce to effectively meet future demands.
Learn more about PICAA
The PICAA team is embedded at Dawson Place, a child advocacy center in Everett. Forensic nurses work alongside victim advocates, law enforcement, mental health and medical staff, and others to bring safety, justice, and healing to victims of abuse. PICAA’s strong community partnerships allow it to serve patients at multiple hospitals throughout the region.
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