To become a sexual assault nurse examiner, you must first become a nurse. Then you must obtain special training that relates specifically to this job. Finally, you must market your skills and apply for this job at a hospital or other facility. Having good interpersonal skills and other relevant experience can make becoming a sexual assault nurse examiner easier. Also, going to reputable schools and performing well academically can help make an applicant stand out in the job pool.
A sexual assault nurse examiner is responsible for collecting what is known as a rape kit that can be used to prosecute offenders. This type of nurse is also responsible for making the victim comfortable so that he or she can be more capable of deciding how to proceed. While many people believe that women are more suited to this type of work, a male nurse can also become a sexual assault nurse examiner. In fact, both males and females are needed to serve assault victims of all genders and sexual preferences.
The first step you must take in order to become a sexual assault nurse examiner is to get a nursing degree. This type of degree can be obtained from many different nursing programs, but it is important that the degree is obtained prior to seeking any further training. Having some experience working as a nurse with assault victims may also be helpful, as it demonstrates your ability to work with patients who have undergone an attack. Work experience is at least as important as good grades in nursing school, if not more so.
In order to become a sexual assault nurse examiner, you must attend a special training program from a facility qualified to provide such training. Courses you may take in order to become a sexual assault nurse examiner are usually labeled SANE (sexual assault nurse examiner) courses and are offered from many different institutions. These classes typically can be completed in less than a week if an intense course schedule is followed. It is important to make sure that the courses are legitimately recognized by the relevant regulatory agencies, as only recognized courses will be acceptable for employment purposes.
Finally, in order to become a sexual assault nurse examiner, you must actually find a job in which you perform these duties. In general, the job itself will involve being on call for a number of shifts. Typical job duties are usually covered during SANE training, but the ability to collect evidence and comfort the victim are absolutely essential. Some job advertisements specify that SANE training must be recent, so it may be a good idea to update your training if it has been more than two years since the program was undertaken or since you have worked in this capacity.