@article{ref1,
title="Shifting sexual assault forensic examiners orientation from prosecutorial to patient-centered: the role of training",
journal="Journal of interpersonal violence",
year="2017",
author="Patterson, Debra and Pennefather, Megan and Donoghue, Kathleen",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="886260517717491-886260517717491",
abstract="Sexual assault forensic examiners (SAFEs) have a complex role that entails providing health care and medical forensic evidence collection. The literature indicates that there are two orientations that guide SAFEs in this role. A patient-centered orientation emphasizes attending to emotional needs, offering options, and respecting survivors' decisions, which has been linked to positive emotional outcomes. A prosecutorial orientation places emphasis on evidence collection and has been associated with providing fewer comprehensive services. SAFE training may play a pivotal role in guiding new SAFEs to adopt a patient-centered orientation. However, there is a paucity of research examining how training can bolster the adoption of this orientation. Thus, the current qualitative study explored if and how a national blended SAFE training influenced participants' adoption of a patient-centered orientation. Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with 64 health care professionals who participated in a national SAFE training. Utilizing analytic induction, the results suggest that the majority of participants entered the training with a prosecutorial orientation but shifted to a patient-centered orientation. Multiple elements of the training influenced this shift including (a) content that dispelled misconceptions of survivors; (b) providing explanations of how attending to survivors' well-being can lead to positive outcomes;<br><br>(c) earlier placement of patient-centered content to allow instructors to explain how patient-centered care can be applied to each component of the SAFE role including the medical forensic exam; and (d) continual emphasis on patient-centered care.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0886-2605",
doi="10.1177/0886260517717491",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0886260517717491"
}