Certified Sexual Assault Examiner Registered Nurse Expert Witness

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Expert Witness No.2135

California

Education

Registered Nurse
Graduated University of North Dakota
School of Nursing, Bachelor of Science 1973

Pomerado Hospital, Poway, CA
Sexual Assault Nurse Training Program, 1991

St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
Death Investigator's Training Program, 1994

Forensic Nursing, San Diego, Ca.
John Hopkins University, 2005

Master of Science in Nursing
Graduate in June 2006
University of Phoenix MSN 

Licensure and Certificates

1973 Registered Nurse RN
1973 Public Health Nurse Certificate
1973 Basic Cardiac Life Support Provider  expired 2006
1988 NRP Neonatal Resuscitation Program Provider expired 2005
1989 Pal’s Pediatric Advance Life Support Provider
1990 CPN Certified Pediatric Nurse
1997 Co-author of a Sexual Assualt book
1994 Diplomat American Board of Forensic Examiners
1998 Diplomat American Board of Forensic Nurses
2000 Fellow American Academy of Forensic Science
2002 SANE A/A Certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner
Others Available Upon Request

Professional Experience

As a Registered Nurse since 1973, I have:

Provided direct Nursing Care in various areas of medicine, and have cared for hundreds of patients with injuries and skin types in various stages of acuteness, from fresh to days and weeks old.

Assisted with and visualized hundreds of pelvic examines on adult patients for pelvic infections, pregnancy, catheterization, and medical work-up.

Assisted with or conducted over 1,500 examines on children for direct visualization and colposcope exam to rule out sexual abuse in children.

Testified in a court of law as an expert witness on sexual assault on adults or children > 65 times.

As a forensic nurse, I provide the appropriate health care response to the sequelae of criminal and interpersonal violence.  In cases of domestic violence, child maltreatment, interpersonal violence or elder abuse, Forensic Nurses implement practices which aid law enforcement agencies in meeting the objectives of criminal investigation and share responsibility with the legal system to identify crime victims, prevent further injury or death due to cyclical violence and to provide early detection of potentially abusive situations.  Early detection is a critical step in stemming the effects of human violence and thus provides an immeasurable savings in lives.  It is cost effective to both health care and legal systems.

August 2005 to present Forensic Nurse Consultant, EVAW Board Director

July 2006 to present Nurse Examiner Pediatric Sexual Abuse
Barbara Sinatra Center, Palm Springs, Ca.

1997–July 2005 District Director: Forensic Health Services, Peds-NICU
Palomar, Pomerado Health System

1991 –July 2005 Sexual Assault Response Team Member/Staff Nurse
Palomar, Pomerado Health System

1994 – 2002 District Director: Respiratory Services, Pulmonary-EEG-Sleep Lab

1983 – 2005 Nurse Director: Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Child Abuse Program

1977–1983 Staff Nurse, Pediatrics, Peds Special Care
Palomar Hospital, Escondido, CA

1975–1977 Staff Nurse, Labor and Delivery, Obstetrics
Relief Hospital Supervisor on weekends,
St. Francis Hospital, Breckenridge, MN

1974–1975 Staff Nurse, Pediatrics,
Volunteer Escondido Community Clinic,
Palomar Hospital

1973–1974 Staff Nurse, Acute Medical, County Hospital
San Bernardino, CA

Employment History

1973–1974 San Bernardino County Hospital
San Bernardino, CA
Acute Medical

1974–1975 Palomar Memorial Hospital
Escondido, CA
Pediatrics ‑ Established Peds Special Care Unit

1975–1977 St. Francis Hospital
Breckenridge, MN
Specialty Labor and Delivery ‑ Developed and Implemented Prenatal Classes

1977–2005 Palomar Medical Center
Escondido, CA
Pediatrics, NICU, Child Abuse Program,
Pediatric Outreach Education – Developed community outreach programs

1991–2005 Pomerado Hospital
Poway, CA  92064
SART

1994–2002 Respiratory Services, Pulmonary, EEG, and Sleep lab

July 2006 to Present Barbara Sinatra Center CAC, Palm Springs, Ca.  

Organizations

NANN, National Association of Neonatal Nurses  membership expired April 2005

SCANN Southern California Association of Neonatal Nurses
Office held: Vice‑President 1990‑1991
President 1991‑1992
Past‑President 1993‑1994  membership expired 1/2005

APSAC American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children

CSAIA California Sexual Assault Investigators Association

AAFS American Academy Of Forensic Science: Provisional
Member 1995 - 1997, General Member 1997, Fellow 2000

IAFN International Association of Forensic Nurses
(Charter member) 1992
Office Held: Secretary, Treasurer, 1998-2000, 2000-2002

DABFE Diplomat American Board of Forensic Examiners

DABFN Diplomat American Board of Forensic Nursing

AALNC American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants

SDAALNC San Diego Chapter American Association Legal Nurse
Consultants

SDNASPA San Diego Chapter of North American Society for Adolescent
Medicine 2003, 2004

Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society Nursing, 2000-2002, 2003-2006

SCCBW Statewide California Coalition for Battered Women, 2003

Awards

Available upon request.

Activities

Available upon Request.

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Training

Provides the medical component of the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART).  The team has three components: law enforcement, forensic examiners, and advocacy groups.  This multi-disciplinary approach coordinates immediate and follow-up medical, advocacy and criminal justice services to victims of sexual assault, thereby increasing the potential for recovery of the victim and increasing the prosecutability of perpetrators of such crimes.

Duties

November 1991 through July 2005, July 2006 to present
After fulfillment of training and receiving a passing score on written examination
Perform physical, psycho‑social assessment
Collect and document physical and laboratory evidence
Provide information and referral for patient
Present expert testimony in court

Education

40 hour didactic training Pomerado Hospital, Poway, CA Completed September 1991
40 hour Preceptor ship at Planned Parenthood, Escondido Police, San Diego Crime Lab, CAP (Child Abuse Program) Completed October 1991

Course Content

Taught by the Director of the SART in San Luis Obispo since 1978.  She is a statewide lecturer for the California District Attorney Association on medical findings in sexual assault, and also serves as an expert witness in court for such cases.

Lectures included recognition and understanding of:
Normal Human Sexual Response
Injuries caused by non‑consensual sexual intercourse
Forensic significance of body fluids
Evaluation of ecchymosed (bruises)
Mechanism of injury, absence of human sexual response, lack of pelvic tilt, lack of partner
assistance with insertion, lack of lubrication, increased force (physical power or strength possessed by a person), and lack of relaxation. 
Recognition of micro trauma, tears, pattern of injury, cervical findings in rape victims and the use
of Toluidine Blue dye in the sexual examination.

In addition to this lecturer’s significant contributions to the SART Training Program, the comprehensive program also included:

Sheriff Department Crime Lab San Diego
instruction on use of protocols for evidence collection, and current methods for preserving of evidence, walk through of procedures

Presentation by Arthur Danner, JD, District Attorney for the City of Santa Cruz, CA
instruction on the judicial system, rules of evidence, mechanics of case presentation and the role of the expert witness.

Presentation by Norman Sperber, DDS, Forensic Odontologist and consultant for law
Enforcement training on the Recognition, Investigation and Preservation of Bite marks as Evidence in assault cases.

Presentation by experienced victim advocates, local detectives and criminologists, sexual assault survivors.  Also, presented were cultural environmental considerations related to the victim of assault and rape trauma syndrome.

Death Investigators Training Course

Training to prepare investigator to conduct scientific, systematic investigations of death. Also presented was cause, manner, and mechanism of death.  Types of deaths covered: drug and alcohol, asphyxia deaths, blunt and sharp injuries, SIDS and Child maltreatment.  Rape homicide and serial killing was also presented as well as legal proceedings.

Professional Activities

Monthly:
Educational Case Review, and photo review with
Forensic Nurse Examiners at PPH ended July 2005.

Child Abuse Program multidisciplinary educational case review,
Palomar Medical Center July 2005.

Sponsors for CSAIA monthly meeting, July 1997 - July 1998
County monthly SART System Committee  ended July 2005.

Annually:
Serve as coordinator, resource for week long Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Training Program presented by Pomerado Hospital. Ended July 2005. Now present at UCSD annual training 2006. 

Clinical Updates, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse

January 22-25, 1992, Responding to Child Maltreatment, San Diego, CA

August 13-14, 1992, Sexual Assault Clinical, Examiner Training, Minneapolis, MN

January 26-30, 1993, San Diego Conference on Responding to Child Maltreatment, San Diego, CA

February 12, 1993, SART Training: The Medical Case Review and Advanced education of patterns of injury consistent with non-consensual versus consensual intercourse.
Southwest College, San Diego, CA      

June 11, 1993 Forensic Nursing/SART Update, Virginia Lynch RN, MSN, Forensic Nurse Specialist San Diego, CA

October 8-10, 1993, International Association of Forensic Nursing, Sacramento, CA

January 18-20, 1994, SART Training: Dr. Slaughter, Poway, CA

January 26, 1994, San Diego Conf. Responding to Child Maltreatment, San Diego, CA

April 25‑28, 1994 The Medico legal Death Investigator Training Course St. Louis, MO

May 1-3, 1994, Clinical Forensic Medicine First Annual Postgraduate Clinical Forensic
Medicine Conference Louisville, KY

June, 1994, Forensic Interview Techniques for Sexual Assault Examiners;
Presented by Detective Mark, Manriequez, SDSO Pomerado Hospital, Poway, CA

October 21-23, 1994, International Association of Forensic Nursing Washington, D.C.

November 19, 1994, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Information Update. Physical Assessment and Findings in the Pregnant, Post-partum, and Post-Menopausal Female

January 16-20, 1995, Sexual Assault Response Team 
SART Certificate Training Pomerado Hospital, Poway, CA

January 23-25, 1995, San Diego Conference Responding to Child Maltreatment
San Diego, CA

February 13-18, 1995, American Academy of Forensic Science
Seattle, WA

March 3, 1995, False Allegation of Sexual Assault
Pomerado Hospital, Poway, CA

April, 1995, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Informational Update.  Normal Assessment and Documentation of Female Genitalia and Knowledge and Utilization of the OCJP form 923.
University of San Diego, CA

May 23-25, 1995, Sexual Assault Team/Child Abuse Training Program
14th Annual Conference
UC Davis School of Medicine
Sacramento, CA

October 2-10, 1995, International Association of Forensic Nursing
Louisville, KY

January 15-16, 1996, Sexual Assault Response Team SART Certification Training
Pomerado Hospital, Poway, CA

January 22-24, 1996, San Diego Conference Responding to Child Maltreatment
San Diego, CA

February 20-23, 1996, American Academy of Forensic Science, Nashville, TN

June 28, 1996, Rohypnol and How to Test For It, San Diego, CA

November 1-4, 1996, International Association of Forensic Nursing: 4th Annual Scientific Meeting
Kansas City, MO

September-December, 1996, Forensic Photography, Palomar College, San Marcos, CA  

January 27, 1997, Advanced Workshop: Medical Evaluation of Sexual Abuse of Children
San Diego, CA

January 28-31, 1997, San Diego Conference on Child Maltreatment, San Diego, CA

March 17-22, 1997, Sexual Assault Response Team Training, Pomerado Hospital
USD, San Diego, CA

March 23, 1997, Forensic Photography for Medical Personnel, USD, San Diego, CA

September 25-29, 1997, International Association of Forensic Nurses,
5th Assembly, Irvine, CA

December 10-12, 1997, DNA Conference. Chicago, IL

January 5-10, 1998, Sexual Assault Response Team Training, Pomerado Hospital
USD, San Diego, CA

January 30-31, 1998, Responding to Child Maltreatment
San Diego, CA

February 8-13, 1998, American Academy of Forensic Science
San Francisco, CA

March 6, 1998, Date Rape Drugs Update
Newark, NJ

June 8, 9, 1998, Sexual Assault Team Training
Sacramento, CA

August 3-8, 1998, Sexual Assault Team Training 9th Annual Conference
Rancho Bernardo, CA

October 1-5, 1998, AFN Conference 6th Annual Assembly
Pittsburgh, PA

December 3, 1998, Domestic Violence for SART nurses
CHHC, San Diego, CA

January 25, 1999, Medical Evaluation of the Sexually Abused Child
Responding to Child Maltreatment
San Diego, CA

February 14-18, 1999, American Academy of Forensic Service
Orlando, FL

June 3-4, 1999, Hall of Justice, Sexual Assault Training
San Diego, CA

July 12, 1999, Forensic Photography and Medical Evaluation of the Child
Rancho Bernardo, CA

July 13-17, 1999, Sexual Assault Team Training 10th Annual Conference
Rancho Bernardo, CA

August 5-9, 1999, 7th Scientific Assembly IAFN
Phoenix, AZ

January 24-29, 2000, Responding to Child Maltreatment
San Diego, CA

February 21-26, 2000, American Academy of Forensic Science
Reno, NV

March 11-12, 2000, IAFN First Clinical Update Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Phoenix, AZ

June 24, 2000, Domestic Violence, Evidence Collection & Prosecution
Los Angeles, CA

September 23, 2000, Unfounded Allegations of Sexual Assault
Poway, CA

October 13-16, 2000, IAFN 8th Scientific Assembly
Calgary, Canada

January 22-26, 2001, San Diego Conference on Responding to Child Maltreatment
San Diego, CA

March 14-15, 2001, Child Abuse Training
Huntsville, AL

May 26-27, 2001, 1st National SART Training Conference
San Antonio, TX

August 28-29, 2001, Forensic Clinical Nursing Update 2001
Phoenix, AZ

September 8, 2001, An Inside look at American Indians and Intervention in their worlds.
San Diego, CA

Sept. 26-Oct. 1, 2001, International Forensic Nursing Conference.
Orlando, FL

March 9, 2002, Civil Recourse for Sexual Assault Victims
Santa Fe Springs, CA

March 12-16, 2002, International Conference on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking
San Diego, CA

July 20, 2002, Advance Practice for Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner
Los Angeles, CA

October 9, 2002, Forensic Photography
Minneapolis, MN

October 10-13, 2002, International Forensic Nursing Conference
Minneapolis, MN

November 4, 2002, Infection control aspects associated with the use of humidified air in NICU
San Diego, CA

November 11, 2002, Management Intensive Nursing Leadership Academy
Escondido, CA

January 6, 2003, Nursing Leadership Customizing the Job
Escondido, CA

February 18, 2003, Refresher training from the Crime Lab
Escondido, CA

March, 2003, Patient Privacy & HIPAA Standards
Escondido, CA

March, 2003, Managing in a Union Environment
Escondido, CA

March 6, 2003, PAL’s recertification
Rancho Penesquitos, CA

April 7-8, 2003, A from Crime Scene to Courtroom
Washington, DC

April 23-25, 2003, International Conference on Domestic Violence
Sexual Assault Stalking
San Diego, CA

May 2, 2003, Setting Goals & Motivating Staff
Escondido, CA

May 22-24, 2003, SART Training
New Orleans, LA

June 18-20, 2003, Forensic Focus Conference
Phoenix, AZ

May 3-5, 2004, National Children’s Alliance Conference
Washington, DC

August 4, 2004, JCAHO Survey Prep Class
Escondido, CA

September 8, 2004, Trafficking and Slavery
Escondido, CA

October 20-24, 2004, IAFN Conference
Chicago, IL

October 26-27, 2004, Making a Difference Conference
San Diego, CA

June, 2006, SART/Sane Conference
San Francisco, Ca.

October, 2005, IAFN Conference
Washington, D.C.

February, 2006, Campus Sexual Assault/CALCASA
Sacramento, Ca.

March, 2006, Elder Abuse, Escondido, Ca.

April, 2006, CSAIA conference
Shell Beach, Ca.

July 12, 13, 2006, Forensic Response to Missing Abducted Children
Kansas City, Mo.

Lecture Presentations:

Available upon Request.