An Innovative Trauma-Informed Curriculum for Sexual Assault Care.

BACKGROUND

Sexual violence is a pervasive public health concern. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing recommends that nursing education comprehensively address this topic, yet nursing schools are inconsistent in doing so.

METHOD

An innovative, holistic curriculum that includes didactic and simulation exercises was developed to educate nurses on a trauma-informed approach to providing care for individuals who have experienced sexual violence. The 2-day course trained both advanced practice nurses and advanced practice nursing students.

RESULTS

The course increased participants' knowledge of how to provide trauma-informed sexual assault care and increased interest in the field of sexual assault forensic nursing.

CONCLUSION

A comprehensive sexual assault care curriculum and the use of standardized patients to develop trauma-informed communication skills are effective and acceptable to learners. This novel curriculum can serve as a model to incorporate sexual assault care training in nursing education. [J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(6):336-340.].