'We will always be here to serve them': Staff added to shore up program for sexual assault victims
Shared Health says it is committed to making changes to a forensic program that examines sexual assault victims in Manitoba, after reports that several victims were turned away when they sought out help.
The sexual assault nursing examiner program, known as SANE, has been experiencing staff shortages, CTV News Winnipeg reported on Wednesday. The Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU) says the service is currently made up of one full-time nurse and 14 casual nurses. The casual nurses work SANE shifts on call during their off-time, and hold other full-time nursing jobs.
"As gaps in coverage and our staffing situation worsened over the course of the pandemic, we identified the need for significant changes to this program," said Monika Warren, chief operating officer of provincial health services and chief nursing officer with Shared Health.
According to Warren, since last April, there were no nurses available to examine 14 sexual assault victims. When a nurse wasn’t available, victims who chose to go home and wait until one was available were asked not to shower.
Warren said asking a patient to not shower if they leave is the normal procedure if no nurse is available, and it’s the patient’s choice to do so.
“Our preference is that they would stay, because typically our period of staffing where we have a gap is a few hours. It’s not days,” she said.
Warren said the department is working to hire a dedicated manager to oversee the program, and says more stability is coming for staffing.
"We have filled five of the seven new permanent positions, with staff beginning these roles over the coming weeks,” she said. “While it will take time for these nurses to gain the specialized expertise and training, we want to assure the patients and all Manitobans that they're continuing to be highly trained nurses working in casual roles still in this area."
While the program will be based at Health Sciences Centre, Warren said training will also occur at sites outside Winnipeg.
She added they want people to continue to access SANE.
“I want to reassure all victims of sexual assault, and intimate partner violence, that we will always be here to serve them,” Warren said. “Our model in terms of how quickly we can serve them, we hope to improve the wait time for them. But please continue to utilize our service. We have compassionate, dedicated staff who want to support you, not only initially, but as you work through the healing process of that very traumatic event.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec police officer stabbed and killed during arrest, second wounded
A Quebec provincial police officer was fatally stabbed Monday night while performing an arrest in Louiseville, west of Trois-Rivieres, Que. The Surete du Quebec (SQ) has confirmed the identity of the officer, Sgt. Maureen Breau, who had been on the force for over 20 years. She was assigned to the post of the MRC de Maskinonge. Another officer was injured during the incident, but their life is not in danger.

Liberals to go after predatory lending in today's budget, invest in dental care plan
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is set to table a federal budget in the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon, which a federal source says will include plans to go after predatory lending and more details on dental care as part of a pitch to make life more affordable.
Nashville shooter was ex-student with detailed plan to kill
The former student who shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school in Nashville and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre.
What we know about the Nashville Christian school shooting
Six people were killed at a small, private Christian school just south of downtown Nashville on Monday after a shooter opened fire inside the building containing about 200 students, police said.
Russian whose daughter drew anti-war picture gets two years' jail but flees
A Russian who was investigated by police after his daughter drew an anti-war picture at school was sentenced on Tuesday to two years in a penal colony on charges of discrediting the armed forces.
Here's why advocates want 'femicide' in Canada's Criminal Code
Advocates against women's violence are urging the government to add femicide to the Criminal Code, saying it would bring further awareness to the term and the tragedies it describes.
Teen girl shot and killed in northeast Calgary
A teenage girl was shot and killed in northeast Calgary community of Martindale on Tuesday.
Security, support services needed to tackle violence on Canadian transit: analyst
Cities across Canada need greater security on transit and improved access to mental health and addiction services in order to help Canadians feel safe, one public safety analyst says.
Canada heading into 'mild recession' as tight monetary policy squeezes growth: report
New research says Canada is heading into a mild recession as elevated borrowing costs, a downturn in the U.S. and persistent inflation dial up the country's economic uncertainty.