Rachal C. has had a lifelong interest in helping people, thanks to a family full of dedicated local law enforcement officers. Driven by a passion to make a positive impact on people’s lives, Rachal went to nursing school, not knowing she’d find her calling before graduation. During Rachal’s clinical rotation in Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN), Rachal learned about forensic nursing and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) — and the rest was history. Now, Rachal is not only a registered nurse, but she also serves as Forensic Nurse Coordinator for UPMC’s Emergency Departments in the the North Central Pa. region.
Rachal oversees forensic nursing at UPMC Williamsport, UPMC Muncy, and UPMC Outpatient Emergency Department in Lock Haven. She’s seen the program grow in her four years with the department from two nurses being on-call 24/7 to a team of 21 forensic nurses, with one almost always being on-site ready to do an exam. The department doesn’t just handle sexual assault cases, they also handle intimate partner violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and physical assaults.
“This program is like my baby because I feel like we started with almost nothing, so I’ve kind of had to build it from scratch and it’s been incredibly rewarding,” Rachal said. “It’s a really rewarding job to begin with, but getting to grow it and see how successful it’s become has been just amazing for me.”
"It's a really rewarding job to begin with, but getting to grow it and see how successful it's become has been just amazing for me."
Almost four years ago, UPMC Williamsport used the SAFE-T System (Sexual Assault Telehealth System) but now its team of forensic nurses can handle the demands of three emergency departments.
“SAFE-T System is fantastic for rural hospital settings where you don’t see a lot of cases or in care settings where you’re just building a SANE program because they can walk the emergency department nurse through the exam and get an on-demand peer review as they do it, they’re making sure that they’re doing things correctly so the patient is getting the best possible care in the moment,” Rachal said. “We don’t necessarily need that resource here because we have SANE-trained nurses available almost 24/7 and we see a significant number of cases to where we can maintain our competency.”
The SAFE-T System recently launched at UPMC Cole, and is better suited for less populated areas where the demand for on-call SANEs is low or resources are limited, placing a high demand on the available nurses. When an individual presents to the emergency department at UPMC Cole after experiencing sexual violence, they have immediate access to a board-certified SANE through the TEAM SAFE telehealth model. UPMC Wellsboro, where Rachal and her team serve as back-ups, also has the SAFE-T System and a fully functioning forensic nursing team.
"The best days that I've had as a forensic nurse have been helping get the convictions in court, knowing that my testimony made a difference. We were able to get justice for victims and that is the most rewarding feeling I've ever had."
“UPMC is really supportive of the forensic nursing team that we have at all of our facilities. We have a forensic nursing council, so I’m very blessed to work in a place that supports us,” Rachal said. “You want it done right and you want someone who cares and is compassionate and understanding of the situation because when people come in for these exams, it could be the worst thing that’s ever happened to them. It could be the worst day of their life, so I think the training we do is really important.”
Rachal handles all the education training for the staff, makes sure the department has the right equipment, peer reviews every case that comes in, participates in community outreach events, and even testifies as an expert witness if the case goes to trial. In the last year, Rachal has had to testify five times and helped get a conviction every time. “The best days that I’ve had as a forensic nurse have been helping get the convictions in court, knowing that my testimony made a difference,” Rachal said. “We were able to get justice for victims and that is the most rewarding feeling I’ve ever had.”
One in five females will be sexually assaulted in their life, a staggering and unfortunate statistic. Rachal admits that it’s hard not to be cynical sometimes, but she understands she must remain compassionate and try to make it known that these services are offered and can make all the difference in recovery and healing.
“I just hope that within our community they know we’re here as a resource, knowing that if they need us, we’re available. There are resources here and there’s help. Programs like this, we don’t want to be out in your face advertising it, but just making sure that people know if you need us, we’re here.”
