MA TeleSANE Training

Intended Audience: Experienced Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) transitioning into the TeleSANE role.

Duration: 3 days, 20 hours

Learning Format: In-person and virtual sessions as well as asynchronous completion of prerequisite work

Upon completion of the TeleSANE Orientation, the experienced SANE will demonstrate competency in the following areas:

1. The TeleSANE will integrate advanced SANE knowledge, clinical judgment, trauma-informed principles, and the Quality Caring Model to establish a therapeutic virtual presence and provide patient-centered consultation through telehealth technology.

The TeleSANE will:

• Establish trust, professional presence, and caring relationships within the virtual environment.
• Promote patient autonomy, informed consent, privacy, dignity, safety, and choice throughout the encounter.
• Recognize and respond appropriately to verbal and nonverbal indicators of distress, discomfort, or disengagement.
• Adapt communication and consultation to the patient's individual needs and the evolving clinical situation.
• Demonstrate appropriate telehealth etiquette and professional communication.

2. Provide Expert Medical-Forensic Guidance and Clinical Coaching Through Telehealth

The TeleSANE will translate advanced SANE expertise into effective remote consultation, coaching, and clinical guidance that supports the bedside clinician in providing safe, evidence-informed medical-forensic care.

The TeleSANE will:

• Guide the bedside clinician through appropriate components of the medical-forensic examination and evidence collection process.
• Use telehealth technology effectively to support remote assessment, consultation, and visualization while recognizing its limitations.
• Provide guidance regarding injury assessment, evidence collection, preservation, chain of custody, and objective documentation.
• Adapt coaching and consultation to the bedside clinician's experience and identified needs.
• Use questioning, feedback, and supportive coaching to strengthen the bedside clinician's clinical reasoning, competence, and confidence.

3. Demonstrate Professional, Ethical, and Collaborative TeleSANE Practice

The TeleSANE will demonstrate professional accountability, collaborative caring, and sound clinical judgment within the ethical, legal, operational, and technological parameters of TeleSANE practice.

The TeleSANE will:

• Maintain appropriate roles, responsibilities, and professional boundaries between the TeleSANE and bedside clinician.
• Foster a respectful and psychologically supportive consultation environment consistent with the Quality Caring Model.
• Maintain confidentiality, privacy, and appropriate management of protected health information.
• Apply applicable TeleSANE policies, procedures, professional standards, and jurisdictional requirements.
• Recognize and appropriately escalate clinical, forensic, ethical, technological, or safety concerns.

Candidates will be evaluated on observable patient-centered, trauma-informed caring behaviors, including establishment of therapeutic presence, respect for patient autonomy and choice, maintenance of privacy and dignity, recognition and response to patient distress, and adaptation of communication to the telehealth environment.  The course will culminate in a 2-hour mock examination.