Local Nurses Train To Become Better Examiners in Assault Cases
By Ryan Schlehuber

Karen Weersing of the Mackinac Island Medical Center completed the SANE course.

Nurses at Mackinac Straits Hospital in St. Ignace and the Medical Center on Mackinac Island are better trained to care for victims of sexual assault and protecting evidence following a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program at Kewadin Casino Hotel Convention Center in Sault Ste. Marie March 14 to March 17.

In training were Karen Weersing of Mackinac Island and Mackinac Straits Hospital nurses Carol Elmblad, Denise Longyear, Cal Wilcox, and Melissa Foster. The program was led by Linda Ledray, a registered nurse who began the SANE program in Minneapolis a few years ago.

There were nine rapes or attempted rapes reported in Mackinac County in 2004, the latest figures available.

The importance of the training, said Mrs. Weersing, is to gather legitimate evidence for police investigation and to properly care for the survivor of the traumatic event.

"It's a very tedious and personal thing to go through, but if that person is even thinking of pressing charges, it is a necessary step to recover any DNA evidence that we can," said Mrs. Weersing.

Cal Wilcox, (from left) Carol Elmblad, and Denise Longyear completed the SANE training.

There is only a 72-hour window to collect DNA evidence on the body, she said, after which a survivor can still have an examination to test for sexually transmitted diseases, however, recovery of DNA may be impossible.

The training has taught Mrs. Weersing to examine patients more closely.

"Through the training, we've found we may have to probe a little more with some patients, asking them for more information," she said.

Since 2002, when Mrs. Weersing and her husband, Dr. Don Weersing, Mackinac Island's year-around physician, moved to the Island, the Medical Center has seen fewer than 10 sexual assault-related patient visits.

"I've only dealt with one case so far since I've been here, but I know there are probably a lot more cases that have not been reported. Statistically, we should have a lot more coming through the Medical Center," she said.

She believes survivors may fear the scrutiny of a small town society such as Mackinac Island or St. Ignace, or examiners are not asking the right questions.

"Our practice at the Medical Center, like other hospitals, is extremely confidential by law," she said.

Now that the nurses have gone through the training, they can take a written examination to be fully certified through the SANE program. Nurses are asked to perform a number of pelvic exams and familiarize themselves with rape kits before taking the certification test, said Mrs. Weersing.

The nurses' training was funded through the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.