Perceived Care Quality Among Women Receiving Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Care: Results From a 1-Week Postexamination Survey in a Large Multisite Prospective Study

Introduction: This study examined the perspectives of female patients who had been sexually assaulted regarding the quality of care provided by sexual assault nurse examiners, including whether the patients’ perspectives varied by their demographic characteristics and health status before the assault. Methods: A total of 695 female patients who received care from sexual assault nurse examiners at 13 United States emergency care centers and community-based programs completed standardized surveys 1 week after receiving sexual assault nurse examiners’ care for sexual assault. Results: Most patients strongly agreed that the sexual assault nurse examiners provided high-quality care, including taking patients’ needs/concerns seriously, not acting as though the assault was the patient's fault, showing care/compassion, explaining the sexual assault examination, and providing follow-up information. The perceptions did not vary by the patients’ demographic characteristics or preassault health status. Discussion: Female patients who had been sexually assaulted and who were evaluated at 13 widely geographically distributed sexual assault nurse examiners’ programs consistently reported that the sexual assault nurse examiners provided high-quality, compassionate care.