2015 SAFEta Webinar Series: Knowing your training is effective: IAFN’s Online SAFE training and clinical program-overview and evaluation findings

For over a decade it has been a challenge for many communities, particularly rural ones, to access good quality adolescent/adult Sexual Assault Nurse/Forensic Examiner (SANE/SAFE) training. Additionally, when trainers are brought in, communities may or may not be receiving SANE/SAFE training that adheres to the IAFN SANE Education Guidelines. In 2011, IAFN was awarded a grant through the National Institute of Justice to provide online SAFE training with a clinical skills component in an effort to address this challenge in acquiring training. In 2012, IAFN launched three 40-hour online trainings over the course of 12 months, and sent the providers who completed the online component through a live 16 hour clinical skills laboratory. Over 200 registered nurses and advanced practice providers attended. This session will take a closer look at the online training, clinical skills lab and evaluation findings gleaned from participation in this course.

Debra Patterson, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Wayne State University. Her research examines sexual assault victims/survivors’ barriers to help-seeking; formal social systems’ responses to sexual assault survivors; and community collaborative efforts in improving the response to sexual assault survivors. She has been working in the violence against women field for nineteen years and is the former director of a rape crisis center in Southeast Michigan.

Jennifer Pierce-Weeks, RN, is Education Director for the International Association of Forensic Nurses, where she implemented the adult/adolescent online SANE training and learning management system.  She comes with 28 years nursing experience, with a focus on forensic nursing since 1995. She presents nationally on a variety of forensic nursing-related topics, including sexual assault and abuse, intimate partner violence, strangulation, child maltreatment and program sustainability.

Jennifer’s work at a national level includes being Past-President of the International Association of Forensic Nurses where she served on the Board from 2006-2010, serving as a consultant for the Southwest Center for Law and Policy’s SAFESTAR Project, and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s SANE Sustainability Project.  In addition, Jennifer has written, edited and reviewed state-specific protocols and customized protocols for hospitals, SARTs and tribal communities. Jennifer was a contributing author for the most recent edition of the Atlas of Sexual Violence; has contributed to Forensic Health Online; has published in the Journal of Forensic Nursing as well as the Journal of Emergency Nursing; and has edited the STM Learning text Violence Against Women, co-authoring the chapter on strangulation in the living patient.  


The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this webinar are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

Webinar FAQs 

Are CE credits offered?

No, credit is not offered for this recorded online event. However once the webinar is completed a certificate of attendance can be obtained.  

How is the certificate of attendance obtained?

Simply register to watch this video through the FREE form below, watch the video on the next page, and then complete the follow-up evaluation. Please DO NOT share a the direct link of the video. We need to track who watches the video due to our grant funding requirements.

How long is the video?

The Knowing Your Training is Effective video is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

I’m having technical trouble, where can I find help?

Contact us at projects@forensicnurses.org. We’d be happy to help!

Register using the form below and get started on this online course today!