During Forensic Nursing Week, we honour and recognize the specialized care, hard work, and unwavering dedication forensic nurses provide to patients who have experienced violence. Thank you to the incredible forensic nursing team at SMH and all the forensic nurses committed to this critical and sensitive work.
When Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) Emergency Department nurse, Sheila Early, established the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program in 1992, it was the first of its kind in British Columbia.
“The program was started by an astute emergency nurse named Sheila Early who recognized that patients presenting to the emergency department having experienced a sexual assault were not receiving adequate care. To address this, Sheila started the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program at Surrey Memorial Hospital, which at the time was only the second program of its kind in Canada,” says Tara Wilkie, one of two Forensic Nursing Service Coordinators at SMH.
The program at SMH has evolved over the years. It is now known as the Forensic Nursing Service (FNS), which offers compassionate care to patients ages two and up who have experienced forms of violence such as child abuse, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Their care includes medical treatment, and for those choosing to report their case to police, provides patients with the option to have a forensic examination. The examination could include documentation of injury, sample collection, and forensic photography.
Trauma following violence and the experience of navigating hospital and legal systems can be overwhelming and difficult. In addition to medical care, forensic nurse examiners can help to bridge the gap between the medical system and the legal system and connect patients to appropriate community services for continued support.
SMH is the regional program for forensic nursing in Fraser Health, with a second site located at Abbotsford Regional Hospital (ARH). SMH’s Forensic Nursing Service works in conjunction with the Emergency Department and over the last three decades has grown to comprise 15 nurses and two program coordinators. SMH cares for approximately 400 patients a year, with rates increasing annually. Combined with ARH, the total number of cases each year is approximately 500-550.
“We’re here to help patients make their own individual choices, and to try to break down those barriers in the system that make it very difficult, sometimes impossible, for people to leave their situations,” says Tara. “We strive to have our patients regain a sense of control and wellness, and we work hard to fill the gaps by connecting with other amazing teams. We want our patients to know how much we care—that they will survive this, and that violence does not define them.”
Thank you to our donors
The continued growth of this program would not have been possible without the support of donors. The generosity of donors such as Village Church, and program founder, Sheila Early, allows for enhanced training opportunities for forensic nurse examiners to expand their knowledge and skill.
“Education is often overlooked as a funding opportunity, yet I consider this to be our most powerful tool to address violence,” says Tara. “By investing in education, your support helps ensure that the forensic nursing team remains equipped to support patients with the highest standard of care and expertise.”
