A woman stops by a 7-Eleven convenience store on her way home from work and bumps into an old college acquaintance. After driving him home, the man invites her in for a drink. And when she refuses, he rapes her. When the case comes to trial, the nurse who examined the woman in the emergency room is called on to testify in court. The man's defense attorney tries to discredit the nurse witness by questioning which procedures she performed and how she performed them. When this strategy does not work, the attorney hounds the nurse about her background and tries to prove that she was not adequately qualified to examine the victim. Though this specific incident is hypothetical, the situation is depressingly familiar for emergency room nurses, many of whom often find themselves on the receiving end of harsh attacks by defense attorneys. The theoretical case went to trial yesterday in a mock court designed to teach nurses how to maintain their composure in the face of difficult questions. The event was the culmination of a three-day Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program offered through the continuing education division of the Nursing School. Thomas Curran, an attorney with the Defender Association of Philadelphia's child advocacy unit and a professor of psychiatric and mental health nursing at Penn, played the role of defense attorney. He cross-examined Judy Quattrone, who portrayed the victim, and Vicky Firth, who played the role of the nurse who examined the victim when she arrived in the hospital after being raped. Quattrone and Firth were members of the first class to graduate from the program in 1994 and currently work as sexual assault nurse examiners in Doylestown, Pa. Curran urged the nurses not to "underestimate the power" of their testimony in sexual assault cases. "Do not be threatened by an attorney asking you questions, because we have no magical power," he said. "As a specialist, you have more power over your testimony than you may realize." During the trial, Curran questioned Firth about the specific tests she performed on the victim, as well as her methodology in examining and interviewing the victim. He also questioned her about her educational background and work experience in an effort to demonstrate how judges determine whether nurses should qualify as expert witnesses. Important factors in that decision include determining if nurses have advanced degrees or belong to professional organizations, have published work or hold academic faculty positions. Curran noted that if nurses qualify as expert witnesses, they can remain in the courtroom while other witnesses testify in order to provide emotional support to the victim they examined. Nurses should also emphasize to the judge their previous experience working with sexual assault victims to establish that they are qualified to conduct such examinations, according to Curran. Janet Tomcavages, one of the organizers of the mock trial, described it as an important part of sexual assault nursing education. "It gave us a snapshot of what to expect from nurse testimony, how nurse witnesses are handled, and what is important to say and not say," she said. More than 75 people, including members of the program and students from the Nursing, Law and Social Work schools, gathered in the Nursing Education Building auditorium yesterday afternoon to watch the trial. The sexual assault nursing education program teaches registered nurses who work in emergency departments how to interview sexual assault victims, identify injuries and prove use of force and sexual contact.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.