A difficult task: Advocacy Center appeals for funding to train sex assault nurses
Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 12:25PM The departure of Bennington County's only certified sexual assault nurse examiner has local health officials and victims’ advocates scrambling to continue the essential service. Laurie Ann Speanburg, the only area nurse with specialized training in performing forensic exams on assault victims, accepted a position in New York in January, said Lori Vadakin, clinical director at the Bennington County Child Advocacy Center. Now, Dr. Avery Wood, a North Bennington-based family physician, is the sole provider of forensic exams that often help bring cases to adjudication, Vadakin said. But an area the size of Bennington County should have about five trained nurses because of the unique demands of the job, according to Vadakin.
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