Two nurses have left the Fredericton-area Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program, Horizon Health Network has confirmed. Two others have left the program in the Upper River Valley region, Horizon spokesman Kris McDavid said, while Fredericton SANE nurse Janet Matheson said the actual number is three. “It’s just the feeling of disrespect that we got, and by not getting a public apology, we just felt disrespected,” said Matheson, who is still involved with the program. CBC News reported in September that a woman who had been sexually assaulted was told to go home because no one was available to examine her until the next day. Prime Minister Blaine Higgs called the incident “unacceptable” and “reflective of a process driven by very poor decision-making and a lack of compassion”. Matheson said her colleagues “stepped aside … pretty well right after [a] big provincial meeting,” attended by SANE and Horizon officials, he said. “You have to support your staff, be true to your staff.” The resignations leave only Matheson and two others to try to cover the Fredericton area 24/7, either staffed or on call, in addition to their regular nursing shifts. “Our program now looks … horrible,” said Matheson, 69, a nurse for 45 years. Janet Matheson, who has been a sexual assault nurse examiner since 2006, says it’s not for everyone. It requires specialized training, ongoing training, a lot of time and a lot of compassion. (Submitted by Janet Matheson) As a team of five, the Fredericton SANE nurses were able to cover about 90 percent of the hours, she said. “I couldn’t even guess what the percentage is now, [but] the three of us will try to cover as much as we can.” The Upper River Valley region has two SANE nurses left, along with the coordinator for that region, the Horizon spokesperson said. She did not immediately respond to questions about other resignations in other areas, but Matheson said she was on call in Fredericton last Saturday and did the forensic tests, commonly referred to as rape kits, on two victims from the St. John’s area. “So they’re definitely having a hard time,” he said.
I felt “thrown under the bus”
The woman, 26 years old, was removed from the emergency department of the Regional Hospital Dr. Everett Chalmers, because there was no trained nurse to perform the examination, which involves collecting physical evidence that is admissible in court. The victim, who is not being named by CBC News, said she was told to go home at night, not to shower or change and to use the bathroom as little as possible to preserve any evidence until the appointment the next day. He ended up taking the test before leaving when a police officer intervened and Matheson was called after the night shift, but the story sparked public outrage and national attention, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling it “appalling.” Horizon’s interim CEO and president, Margaret Melanson, echoed Higgs’ comments and told reporters that what happened was “unacceptable” and prompted a review of how the program is managed. “There will be continuity with those working on this program, enhancing on-call planning,” as well as contingency plans, he said. At the time, Matheson said sexual assault nurse investigators felt “thrown under the bus,” wanted a public apology and more nurses trained to provide critical services to victims. Prime Minister Blaine Higgs was not immediately available for comment.
The plan is expected within weeks
As of Sept. 15, Horizon had only 26 sexual assault nurse examiners. That’s down from about 40 a year ago. Horizon is “working on a plan to strengthen the SANE service and develop a more robust and sustainable program that will better utilize the skills of our specialist nurses to meet the needs of survivors,” said Greg Doiron, vice president of clinical operations. The review of the program is expected to be completed “in the coming weeks” and the results will be shared with the health minister, he said in a statement. Horizon continues to meet with its coordinators and SANE teams to “gather valuable information and feedback” as part of that process, Doiron said. “We are fully committed to strengthening our program and providing the best possible care to our patients,” he said. As it stands, SANE’s coverage in the Fredericton area “remains stable,” Doiron said. In addition to forensic examination to obtain evidence for police investigations and medical examinations, SANE nurses also provide compassionate support, medication to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, and resources for follow-up. If a case goes to court, they may also be required to testify. (CBC) A forensic examination can be offered to female victims up to 96 hours after a sexual assault, according to standards set out in the provincial SANE program. For male victims, the limit is 72 hours, he said. “Survivors of sexual assault are encouraged to undergo a forensic examination as soon as possible according to these parameters. … Our SANE nurses are extensively trained in performing these examinations safely and compassionately.” “We would like to recognize and sincerely thank our emergency department staff and SANE nurses who continue to provide safe and quality care to patients under difficult circumstances,” he added.
Increased awareness is positive
Matheson said she attended the first of what have become weekly meetings and described them as “good.” “There was again, no apology [Doiron] he promised to work with us … to see how we can make some changes,” he said. “Everybody talked about the impact it had on them … that this story came out the way it did. I just never thought it would ever go this far. This, you know? It’s crazy.” She’s heard from people across the province and in other provinces since the story went “viral,” she said, and she’s getting “a lot of love and support” from nurses and doctors in particular. Overall, the media attention was good, he said, “because maybe a lot of people didn’t understand the program or even knew it existed. “I hope that… some positive things will come out of this. I certainly hope so. “In the meantime, I will continue to do my business.”
