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The Ins and Outs of Being a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner

/ Exam Prep / By / August 20, 2025
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Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE): What You Need to Know

With excerpts from IAFN Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Certification, edited by Jacqueline Callari Robinson, BSN, RN, SANE-A/P

What Does “SANE” Mean?

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) are nurses who receive specialized training to provide comprehensive care to patients who experience sexual violence. A SANE is a type of forensic nurse—a professional who blends nursing science with forensic science principles and the legal system.

Forensic nurses not only provide medical forensic care but also collect evidence and may testify in court.

  • SANE-A: Trained to care for adult and adolescent victims.

  • SANE-P: Trained to care for pediatric and adolescent victims.

  • Some SANEs hold dual certification to care for both populations.

This field is far from niche: according to the CDC, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetime. The need for certified SANEs is especially urgent in rural areas, where access is limited.

What Does a SANE Do?

SANEs typically practice in hospital emergency departments and often serve as the first point of contact for survivors of sexual assault. Their role includes:

  • Providing patient-centered, culturally sensitive care

  • Conducting medical forensic exams that document trauma and collect evidence

  • Taking medical histories and documenting injuries (including photographs)

  • Collecting DNA swabs and other forensic samples

  • Observing and documenting patient behavior

  • Testifying in court as expert witnesses

Their work bridges compassionate patient care with the demands of the legal system.

What Type of Person Becomes a SANE?

SANEs need to be:

  • Resilient—able to cope with patients experiencing severe physical and emotional trauma

  • Collaborative—often working as part of a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), a multidisciplinary group supporting victims

  • Compassionate and patient—maintaining empathy and professionalism in difficult and distressing circumstances

  • Dedicated to safety—ensuring a secure and supportive environment for patients at all times

See also  What's the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE®) Certification Exam Like?

How Do You Become a SANE?

Requirements to pursue SANE certification include:

  • Active RN license

  • At least two years of RN practice

  • Completion of a minimum 40-hour SANE didactic course (from an accredited provider)

  • Completion of a SANE clinical preceptorship

  • At least 300 hours of SANE-related practice within the past three years

Preparing for the Exam

To prepare for certification, many candidates use IAFN Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Certification, co-published with the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN).

This resource includes:

  • Comprehensive content review

  • 300+ exam-style questions with rationales

  • 15 case studies with nearly 40 Q&A examples

It is widely regarded as an authoritative guide for exam preparation.

Resources

  • Nursing@Georgetown. (November 11, 2019). From Forensics to Advocacy: What It’s Like to Be a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner). Retrieved from DailyNurse

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (January 17, 2020). Preventing Sexual Violence. Retrieved from CDC

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