CARMEL – Today, St.Vincent Carmel Hospital officials announced the opening of its new Center of Hope within the Emergency Department. The dedicated area for sexual assault victims will offer 24-hour coverage for women in some of their most desperate moments.
The St.Vincent Carmel Center of Hope is staffed by sexual assault nurse examiners and a clinical forensic technologist. Each nurse is trained to provide appropriate care for sexually assaulted women by conducting medical assessments, collecting and preserving evidence, and testing for sexually-transmitted diseases. Nurse examiners also work in collaboration with law enforcement authorities and crime labs, and provide expert testimony in a court of law.
"Our goal is for women to have a convenient location accessible at all hours of the day, so our compassionate clinical staff can provide the necessary care," said Megan Brown, coordinator of the St.Vincent Center of Hope. "It is essential that women have a private, safe and comforting environment with an array of amenities to address their individual needs."
Center of Hope sexual assault nurse examiners also partner with local agencies to provide outreach education at community events and statewide seminars on the prevention of sexual assault.
The St.Vincent Carmel Hospital Emergency Department recognizes a need in its community for compassionate care to patients that experience a violent crime. The Center of Hope sexual assault nurses provide not only forensic examination, but the emotional and spiritual support that starts the healing process.
The St.Vincent Carmel Center of Hope is the faith-based organization's second location. In 1996, the St.Vincent Indianapolis Center of Hope was started by Joanne Wilson, then St.Vincent emergency room director, who died in an auto accident on Dec. 29, 2002. She was instrumental in leading efforts to care for hundreds of sexual assault victims throughout Indiana. That room now bears her name.
For more information, contact Lynne Bunch at (317) 582-7300.
