Colorado SANE/SAFE Project

Project offerings and resources

2025 project offerings

• Technical assistance via phone or email consultation and postings on our website.
• A 64-hour SANE/SAFE Adult/Adolescent and Pediatric Didactic Education, which can be free of charge for Colorado providers and military personnel practicing in Colorado with valid, unencumbered licenses.
• Simulation clinical skills lab education at the UCHealth Community Education Center in Colorado Springs, using highly-skilled and experienced Forensic Nurse Examiners, as well as live Gynecological Teaching Associates (GTAs).
• Medical Response to Sexual Assault Patients: Best Practice Education for Medical Professionals.
• Two one-hour SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) series education quarterly available to anyone who may provide services to those affected by sexual assault.
• Twice yearly virtual SANE-A and SANE-P Certification Review courses.
• A preceptorship program for Colorado SANE trained RNs affiliated with a SANE program in Colorado.
• Telehealth support for selected rural programs in the state.
• 40-Hour Adult/Adolescent Didactic Education: The 40-Hour Adult/Adolescent Didactic Education is a live, five consecutive day training held via Microsoft Teams. This is the same course content that is within the 64-hour SANE/SAFE Adult/Adolescent and Pediatric Didactic Education, but while the 64-hour SANE/SAFE Adult/Adolescent and Pediatric Didactic Education includes all patient populations, this course only includes content on adult/adolescent patients.
• 40-Hour Pediatric Didactic Education: The 40-Hour Pediatric Didactic Education is a live, five consecutive day training held via Microsoft Teams. This is the same course content that is within the 64-hour SANE/SAFE Adult/Adolescent and Pediatric Didactic Education, but while the 64-hour SANE/SAFE Adult/Adolescent and Pediatric Didactic Education includes all patient populations, this course only includes content on pediatric patients.

Resources

• Colorado Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Protocol (2022)
• Colorado Suspect Evidence Collection Protocol (2016)
• LE/Medical Consent Form 2023 (English)
• LE/Medical Consent Form 2023 (Spanish)
• Anonymous Consent Form 2023 (English)
• Anonymous Consent Form 2023 (Spanish)
• Kit Incident Form
• Medical Forensic Exam Payment Request Form (SAVE) 2019
• Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review 2024 Annual Report
• 2024 Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board Key Findings
• A National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations Adults/Adolescents
• Starting Wednesday, August 9, 2017, House Bill 1322 regarding mandatory reporting for intimate partner violence went into effect. Please download the following documents to review the law and synopsis: House Bill 1322 and Synopsis. This law only pertains to those over the age of 18 and under the age of 69.

An algorithm was developed for Colorado which allows medical providers to understand their reporting options in the state of Colorado. Adult patients have the three following options:

• Full law enforcement report
• Medical report
• Anonymous report

The algorithm is available for download: Reporting Algorithm

Additionally, a short (30-minute) education video outlining each of the reporting options is available to help alleviate any confusion regarding reporting options in Colorado: Reporting Options video

Colorado SANE/SAFE Project Preceptorship Program

The Colorado SANE/SAFE Project is now offering a preceptorship program with the UCHealth Memorial Hospital Forensic Nurses Examiners Program. Nurses wishing to precept with the forensic nurses must meet the following criteria:

• Have a valid and unencumbered Colorado nursing license/practicing military health care in Colorado.
• Affiliated with a program in Colorado.
• Have had SANE/SAFE education and can provide a certificate of completion.
• MMRx2 vaccine or titer.
• Negative TB test in last 365 days.
• Varicella vaccine or titer.
• HepB Series, titer or waiver.
• Flu vaccine (during flu season).
• Copy of valid driver’s license.
• Copy of current BLS or ACLS certification.
  • All of these items must stay current during your time at Memorial Hospital. It is your responsibility to ensure that if any of the above expires during your time with us, you must update them immediately or you will not be able to continue with us.
• Clinical Skills education through the Colorado SANE/SAFE Project (highly recommended).
• Updated resume or CV.
• Signed Letter of Agreement.
• Completed registration form.

Only a small number of nurses will be accepted into the preceptorship program through the Colorado SANE/SAFE Project, so any incomplete paperwork or not having completed the required criteria will automatically cause your application to be rejected.

***If you are an out-of-state SANE who is interested in a preceptorship, please email [email protected] for information about the out-of-state preceptorship program.***

SANE-A Certification Review Course

The SANE-A Certification Review Course is a live comprehensive course reviewing key concepts and practice test questions to help prepare the SANE sit for the SANE-A certification exam.

The 2025 virtual review courses will be held on the following dates:

• March 6, 2025 (Registration closes on March 1)
• August 14, 2025 (Registration closes on July 1)

Intimate Partner Violence Skills Education

This two-day course will prepare SANEs and Advanced Practice RNs to take their forensic nursing practice to the next level by learning how to perform assessments designed specifically for the IPV patient. Participants will be able to practice with a live model how to obtain a history, perform a detailed physical assessment, photo-documentation, evidence collection, and safety considerations.

New in 2023: To be eligible to participate, you must hold an unencumbered RN or advanced practice licensure and you must have successfully completed a didactic portion of SANE education and be able to provide a certificate of completion and finish an 8-hour online education prior to attending the live course.

2025 education dates

• May 16, 2025 (Registration closes April 17)
• September 12, 2025 (Registration closes on August 26)

Technical Assistance

The Colorado SANE/SAFE Project offers 24/7 clinical technical assistance to any SANE program or healthcare provider throughout the state of Colorado by calling 719.365.8333.

For less urgent clinical needs, class enrollment questions or ULearn assistance, email the Colorado SANE/SAFE Project by email at [email protected].

Resources

Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
https://www.colorado.gov/cbi

Division of Criminal Justice, Colorado
http://dcj.state.co.us/

International Association of Forensic Nurses
www.ForensicNurses.org/

Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Technical Assistance Project (SAFEta)
safeta.org/

Forensic Health Online
www.forensichealth.com/

National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center
https://www.niwrc.org/

Tribal Forensic Healthcare
https://www.ihs.gov/forensichealthcare/

You Have the Right Colorado (reference to find SANE Programs in the state of Colorado)
https://youhavetherightco.org/support-services-2-2/

Definitions

SANE: A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner is a Registered Nurse who has been trained in the comprehensive care of the sexually assaulted patient, has the ability to conduct a medical/forensic examination with or without evidence collection, and is capable of testifying as an expert witness in a legal proceeding. The SANE may care for the adult/adolescent population, the pediatric population, or both.

SAFE: A Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner is a Registered Nurse or advanced practice provider such as a physician assistant, physician or Nurse Practitioner who has been trained in the comprehensive care of the sexually assaulted patient, has the ability to conduct a medical/forensic examination with or without evidence collection, and is capable of testifying as an expert witness in a legal proceeding. The SAFE may care for the adult/adolescent population, the pediatric population, or both.

The only difference between SANE and SAFE is that SANE only refers to nursing as the provider, SAFE may be nursing or other properly trained advanced practice providers.

SANE-A: Is the IAFN nationally recognized certification credentials when the appropriately trained SANE has successfully passed the adult/adolescent certification examination.

SANE-P: Is the IAFN nationally recognized certification credentials when the appropriately trained SANE has successfully passed the pediatric certification examination.

Certification: Is through the International Association of Forensic Nursing (IAFN). Information on certification can be found by clicking here. There is no legislation or otherwise mandated Colorado certification requirements.

Competency: Is broadly defined as a person’s ability or capacity to do a job. It applies to many professionals and involves physical abilities or skills, the performance of specific tasks, the knowledge and understanding of the topic, and the personal characteristics necessary for a job. In nursing, competency is determined at the local (clinical) level.