Responding to Sexual Assault in a Health Care Institution-Responding to SA in Hospital_Final

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Stacy Mitchell discusses the issue of sexual assault in healthcare institutions, emphasizing the roles of internal and external stakeholders in the investigation process. She highlights the need to prioritize patient care and involve law enforcement when necessary. Mitchell addresses the prevalence of violence in healthcare facilities and emphasizes the importance of addressing systemic issues. She provides examples of high-profile cases and emphasizes the global nature of this problem. Mitchell outlines the goals of in-house investigations, which include patient care, involving law enforcement, and preventing future incidents. She discusses the involvement of various internal stakeholders and stresses the importance of collaboration and confidentiality. Mitchell emphasizes the crucial role of forensic nurses in providing immediate care, documenting evidence, and participating in policy development and education efforts. She also discusses the challenges of parallel investigations within a healthcare institution. The lack of knowledge regarding the criminal investigation process in hospitals is highlighted as a problem, which forensic nurses can help address by providing education, advocacy, and guidance. They can assist in navigating institutional liability and patient safety considerations, as well as help law enforcement with information requests and understanding hospital processes. Preserving evidence, creating a culture of safety, and assisting with root cause analysis and prevention strategies are among the unique opportunities that forensic nurses have to improve the hospital's response to sexual assault cases. Two case examples illustrate the importance of a prompt and thorough response and the role of forensic nurses in these situations. Overall, Mitchell emphasizes the need to address the issue of sexual assault in healthcare institutions and the valuable role that forensic nurses play in this process.

Keywords

sexual assault

healthcare institutions

internal stakeholders

external stakeholders

investigation process

patient care

law enforcement

violence in healthcare facilities

systemic issues

forensic nurses

evidence documentation

culture of safety