Address: 8600 University Blvd. Evansville, IN 47712 Project Director Name: Pamela Miller, DNP, FNP-BC, CPNP-PC, APRN-FPA Phone Numbers: 812-464-1070 Fax: 812-465-7092 Email Address: pymiller@usi.edu Website Address: www.usi.edu/southwest-indiana-area-health-education-center Total Funding Requested: $1,490,273 Requested Funding Preference: Substantially benefit underserved populations (Qualification 2) Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (AHEC), hosted by the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, Indiana, will use its experience and collaborative partnerships to continue and expand the Indiana SANE Training Project. For the purposes of the Project, SANEs or forensic nurses may be registered nurses or advanced practice nurses, and project activities will focus on nurses practicing in rural and/or underserved communities in Indiana. The Project requests funding preference for substantially benefiting underserved populations. The Indiana SANE Training Project will work collaboratively with key partners across the state to increase the number and distribution of forensic nurses, improve access to medical forensic exams, enhance statewide support for training and retention of forensic nurses, and cultivate an environment conducive to SANE training and forensic nursing practice in Indiana. Key partners in the project include the Indiana AHEC Network, Indiana Primary Health Care Association, Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council, Children's Advocacy Centers in Indiana, Indiana State Police, Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN). These collaborators will provide guidance to the Project and its programming, and they will support activities by recruiting facilities and nurses to participate and providing content expertise to workshops and trainings. The Project will audit and approve didactic courses (adult, adolescent and pediatric) to provide funding for a minimum of
150 nurses to complete these courses, either in-person or online. In addition, the Project will expand clinical training opportunities to ensure nurses achieve clinical competence, as well as the confidence to work independently. Clinical trainings will include twelve Clinical Skills Labs, based on IAFN curriculum, with 216 nurses completing during the project; three Clinical Skills Refresher Courses educating 45 nurses; six Pediatric SANE Intensives engaging 90 nurses; national conference support for 90 nurses and interpersonal violence-specific training for 30 nurses. In addition, the Project will offer monthly Meetups, quarterly case reviews and targeted training and technical assistance to nurses and facilities to strengthen forensic nursing across Indiana. Mentoring, professional development, networking and emotional support of forensic nurses will promote retention of nurses. The Project will increase the number of qualified forensic nurses in Indiana, with a focus on rural and underserved communities, and it will also provide funding for a minimum of 15 new professional certifications and 24 recertifications. Angela Morris, MSN, RN, CEN, SANE-A, SANE-P, EMT-B, will continue as the full-time project coordinator, and she will work with strategic direction from Pamela Miller, DNP, FNP-BC, CPNP-PC, APRN-FPA, as the project director. The Indiana SANE Training Project is one program of the Southwest Indiana AHEC, and its director, Jane Friona, MHSA, will provide evaluation, grants management, and financial administration of the Project. To inform project decision-making, project evaluation will include a Plan-Do-Study-Act analysis of data collected in real-time by project leadership and the project's advisory council. This information will be used to adjust activities to meet the Project goals.