Efficacy of a 2-year-old sexual assault nurse examiner program in a Canadian hospital.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to describe a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) program at a hospital-based sexual assault care center in Ontario, Canada, and assess its efficacy in comparison with physician examiners.


METHODS
Data obtained from the hospital records of 515 women who came to a Toronto sexual assault care center were examined. A number of variables relevant to this assessment of services were examined, including client demographics and presenting history, aspects of the sexual assault, and characteristics of the treatment.


RESULTS
Average assessment times were shorter for victims seen by SANEs than for victims seen by physicians (approximately 3(1/4) hours versus 4 hours). Physicians had more interruptions (25.1%) than did SANEs (20.0%). Client characteristics and presentation were similar regardless of who provided care, with some exceptions.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the study support the utility of the SANE model as an efficient program for the assessment and treatment of victims of sexual assault.
Stermac
Lana E
LE
Program in Counselling Psychology, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto and Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. lstermac@oise.utoronto.ca
Stirpe
Tania S
TS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002983:Clinical Competence; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000379:methods*; D009864:Ontario; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000451:nursing* / Q000592:standards; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011336:Probability; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012042:Registries; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017406:Sexual Harassment