Photo By James Camillocci | Emily Brunkenhoefer provides a simulated patient some therapeutic, trauma-informed...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, Sept. XX, 2025 – Texas A&M Health Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing recently brought their mobile forensic simulation unit to Brooke Army Medical Center.
Four BAMC nurses completed the 12-week online training followed by hands-on learning in the mobile simulation unit to receive their Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner certification.
During the hands-on training, the nurses were required to conduct 10 in-person pelvic exams and three actual simulated forensic exams on male and female patients.
“This training provided the nurses with a portion of the exams they need to be eligible to become Adult/Adolescent SANE certified through the Attorney General of Texas,” said Jennifer Lopez, BAMC forensic healthcare program manager.
The types of mobile simulations included adult sexual assault, intimate partner violence and nonfatal strangulation assessment, trauma-informed communication and medical forensic photography.
Danielle Norman, registered nurse, found the training rewarding.
“This specialized training gives our team the tools to perform a trauma-informed forensic exam, with photo documentation, while teaching the proper use of therapeutic communication when engaging with this patient population,” she said. “It was an opportunity for members of our team to get real-time feedback from seasoned coaches, as well as live models who train forensic examiners to care for patients after a recent assault and perform a complete forensic exam.”
“Knowledge is power and in nursing, you are never done learning,” said Emily Brunkenhoefer, registered nurse. “Every time I work, I learn something new and use it to provide the best care possible to the next patient. The population we serve in forensics is so vast, no two cases are the same. The more we learn and train up, the more all-encompassing care we can provide to an underserved community.”
BAMC currently has four nurses who are both Department of Defense Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiner trained and CA-SANE recognized.
Norman said she chose to become a forensic nurse because “it’s an opportunity to really connect with a patient after a traumatic event that they have experienced.”
“It is a moment to show compassion and empathy and lets the patient know they are heard and not alone,” Norman said. “Having a forensic exam can be an empowering process that allows the patient to find their voice after it was taken away.”
“We provide a very important service for them,” she added. “It is an art to take care of them properly, a balance of using trauma-informed sensitive language, while also taking a complete medical history and performing a full physical exam with photos. We allow them the moments to discuss their fears, and concerns, while also providing real-time teaching related to their body’s possible responses to a traumatic event. We reassure them that their voice is heard and respected.”
“Victims of violence and trauma deserve access to medical care and community resources, and I believe nursing can bridge that gap,” Brunkenhoefer said. “I see this work as an opportunity to use my knowledge for change, whether it’s supporting someone in their most vulnerable moment or influencing systems that impact victims. Even changing a single life is powerful, and that’s what drives me.”
| Date Taken: | 09.23.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.23.2025 14:31 |
| Story ID: | 549066 |
| Location: | FORT SAM HOUSTON, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 271 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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