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Wendy Overstreet
Wendy Overstreet, RN, BSN, is the SANE Coordinator for Via Christi Hospital Pittsburg, Inc. She graduated from Pittsburg St. with a BSN in 2003, and has worked at Via Christi for 8 years. Wendy is the head of Via Christi Hospital’s SANE/SART program that treats victims of sexual assault.
Health & Wellness
2012-03-27 10:35:11
Explaining SANE/SART
Q: What does SANE/SART stand for and what role do you play?
A: SANE stands for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. This is a person who is a registered nurse and has received special training to provide comprehensive care to sexual assault victims. In addition, this is a nurse who can conduct a forensic exam and may provide expert testimony if a case goes to trial. This is also why we refer to it as Forensic Nursing. SART is short for Sexual Assault Response Team. This is a community-based team that coordinates the response to victims of sexual assault. The team may be comprised of SANE’s, hospital personnel, sexual assault victim advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and any other professionals with a specific interest in assisting victims of sexual assault. Q: With the growing awareness of sexual assault, how has Via Christi Hospital SANE/SART program evolved? A: I started my SANE training in June of 2010. At the time, I was the first to go through the specific training. Now our program has grown to five nurses, including two who are trained to examine pediatric patients. April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, and we are making sure we reach out to communities to increase awareness and offer educational materials, especially for schools. Q: What new technology is the field of SANE/SART implementing and why is it important? A: Via Christi Hospital recently purchased a Secure Digital Forensic Imaging (SDFI) camera. SDFI cameras are important in our field because of the quality of image it provides over the former method of Polaroid photographs, and because the images are digitally encrypted to protect patient privacy. We believe that upgrading to SDFI technology will help law enforcement and prosecutors when it comes to sexual assault investigations.
 
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