TN TECH – Faculty in Tennessee Tech University’s Whitson-Hester School of Nursing are using a nearly $1.5 million federal grant to train and certify sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs), expanding access to critical services for survivors in the region.

Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the three-year project began in July 2024. This year alone, 26 nurses have been trained to provide trauma-informed care and forensic exams. Services are now available at Cookeville Regional Medical Center, giving survivors access to specialized care close to home.

“This is the third grant we’ve gotten on this topic,” said Ann Hellman, professor of nursing and co-principal investigator on the grant. “We started trying to bring sexual assault nurse examiner services to our community about 10 years ago. Despite Putnam County having the population it does, for many years we did not have these services available in our region, so survivors had to travel to Nashville, Knoxville or Chattanooga. We’re now able to train nurses to provide this compassionate care to the community at Cookeville Regional Medical Center.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of women and nearly one in three men nationwide have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes.

“We’re so fortunate to be part of a safe college campus in a safe and supportive community like Cookeville, but sexual assault can happen anywhere,” said Shelia Hurley, professor of nursing and principal investigator for the grant. “Having trained SANEs available ensures survivors receive the medical attention and support they need, without having to leave their community.”

Hurley and Hellman, both Tennessee Tech graduates and lifelong residents of the Upper Cumberland, said their personal ties make the work even more meaningful.

“These are people who are very near and dear to our hearts, whether we know them or not — they’re our neighbors,” Hellman said. “When they go through such a traumatic experience, not to receive that level of specialized service is very detrimental to their long-term recovery and their ability to cope. So, being able to bring that to our neighbors is very important to us.”

SANEs receive additional training beyond their nursing degrees, including 40 hours of classroom instruction and 16 hours of clinical work through the International Association of Forensic Nurses. They are taught how to conduct trauma-informed interviews, collect evidence, document and photograph injuries, and understand how trauma affects the brain and body.

“We may spend three to four hours doing an interview, assessment and evidence collection,” Hurley said. “We serve solely to provide specialized care for sexual assault survivors, complementing law enforcement efforts and reducing the demand on hospital staff time and resources.”

Community partnerships have been key to the program’s success. Tech nursing faculty have worked closely with Cookeville Regional Medical Center, the Putnam County Justice Center, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Cookeville Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office, Genesis House – a local nonprofit shelter providing support to victims of domestic and sexual violence – and others to make sure survivors have access to coordinated services.

Amy Rich, chief nursing officer at Cookeville Regional Medical Center, says the partnership with Tech is as meaningful to hospital leadership as it is to the patients they serve.

“At CRMC, our mission has been one of building healthier communities – so this partnership with Tennessee Tech is deeply important to us, and to our patients,” said Rich. “The professionalism, skill and compassion of our Tennessee Tech-trained nurses are an asset to this hospital and this region, especially for those impacted by traumatic events like sexual assault.”

The HRSA grant continues through June 2027, and faculty hope to build on its success in the years ahead.

“We’ve heard it from patients, we’ve heard it from advocates from Genesis House and from law enforcement – they’re so appreciative that we have this ability to help them in this way,” Hellman concluded. “So, knowing that these services will continue into the future, even after Shelia and I may no longer be doing this, is very important to us.”

Community members interested in learning more can contact Kourtney Mann, grant project coordinator, at [email protected].