MLK Day
In observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, our office will be closed Monday, January 20th, 2024.
Normal office hours will resume Tuesday, January 21st, 2024, at 8:00am.
Can a registered nurse licensed in North Carolina collect forensic evidence for the Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit even if she/he has not completed SANE training?
Can a registered nurse licensed in North Carolina collect forensic evidence for the Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit even if she/he has not completed SANE training?
Only a registered nurse that has successfully completed a North Carolina Board of Nursing approved sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) program is authorized to perform the full forensic medical examination of sexual assault victims. There is nothing in nursing law and rules to prohibit other nurses from collecting samples from victims as long as she/he possesses the needed education, validated competence, and agency policies and procedures are in place. Such samples might include fingernail scrapings or simple skin surface swabs but would not include vaginal swabs requiring insertion of a speculum. The Board of Nursing cannot comment, however, about the legal admissibility of such samples for legal forensic purposes. Agency attorneys and local law enforcement must be consulted for guidance on these issues.