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Rachal Clark, RN, forensic nursing coordinator, Emergency Department, UPMC Williamsport, has always been interested in helping people. Coming from a family of law enforcement, Rachal went to nursing school so she could have a positive impact on people’s lives. It was there during her clinical rotation in Ob-gyn that she learned about forensic nursing and sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE). Rachal oversees forensic nursing at UPMC Williamsport, UPMC Muncy, and UPMC Outpatient Emergency Department in Lock Haven. She’s seen the program grow in her four years with the department from two nurses being on-call 24/7 to a team of 21 forensic nurses with one almost always being on-site ready to do an exam. The department doesn’t just handle sexual assault cases, they also handle intimate partner violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and physical assaults. The SAFE-T System recently launched at UPMC Cole and is better suited for less populated areas where the demand for on-call SANEs is low or resources are limited placing a high demand on the available nurses. When an individual presents to the emergency department at UPMC Cole after experiencing sexual violence, they have immediate access to a board-certified SANE through the TEAM SAFE telehealth model. UPMC Wellsboro, which Rachal and her team serve as back-ups, also has the SAFE-T System and a fully functioning forensic nursing team. Becoming a SANE is a serious endeavor for nurses. To obtain certification, clinical preceptorship is required plus a minimum of 300 case hours must be completed to sit for the exam; a 41-hour online course for adults and adolescents, a 43-hour online course for pediatrics, and the rest of the hours to be completed hands-on. “The best days that I've had as a forensic nurse have been helping get the convictions in court, knowing that my testimony made a difference,” Rachal said. “We were able to get justice for victims and that is the most rewarding feeling I've ever had.” “I just hope that within our community they know we're here as a resource, knowing that if they need us, we’re available. There are resources here and there's help. Programs like this, we don't want to be out in your face advertising it, but just making sure that people know if you need us, we’re here.”

  • Rachal Clark stands in a trauma room with medical machinery and an empty patient bed in the background.
Matthew Froehlich

Dispatcher AAA East Central

1mo

Nurses are the very best of people. So underrated and underappreciated. 💙💙💙

Keep up the good work! Thanks for all that you do

Awesome!

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