Categories
DV/IPV Sexual Assault

Women Veterans and Trauma

BWJP is offering a webinar, Women Veterans and Trauma, January 22nd at 3pm Eastern. From the site:

Do you serve women veterans? Do you screen for military service, deployment to combat zones, combat and trauma-related conditions? Do you understand the intersection between combat exposure and other types of trauma? Some women veterans are survivors of military sexual trauma. Some are intimate partner violence survivors or may still be in abusive relationships. Some had trauma histories before entering the military. In addition, some women veterans are dealing with physical injuries and/or co-occurring conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, substance abuse, and depression, etc. This Webinar will address these issues and will provide a trauma-informed approach to serving women veterans.

Categories
Elder Abuse/Neglect

Death Investigation in the Elderly

For those of you working the death investigation field, RTI has several online courses available, including Death Investigation in the Elderly (PDF). I am particularly interested in this one because it includes a section on the physiology of aging, which I think is useful for those outside the death investigation field, as well.

The course is free and provides CMEs (sorry, no nursing CEs). Registration is required.

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Uncategorized

A Big Change

Okay, so it’s one of several big changes happening in my world, but I wanted to make sure I let folks know: today is my last day as Medical Advisor at AEquitas. I have spent more than 3 incredible years working with this group, and I will look forward to occasionally teaching and consulting for them going forward. But it’s time for a change, particularly in terms of getting back to spending more time with my medical colleagues and taking on a few new projects, not to mention trying to curtail my travel schedule just a bit, so it is with a mix of sadness and excitement that I make this move.

Categories
Child Abuse DV/IPV Elder Abuse/Neglect Sexual Assault

End of Year Continuing Education Credits, Part II

I hope everyone had a peaceful holiday (or at least enjoyed a few days off if you don’t celebrate). Today I want to round out some continuing education sources for those of you in need of finishing the year with a few extra in hand (see here for Part I). All are available for nursing CEs; CME credits are available as indicated.

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Uncategorized

A very merry…

I am going to take the next few days off to finish up last-minute wedding details, bake for the holidays and just generally enjoy friends and family. I will be back on the 26th with fresh content and news from my corner of the globe. Until then, here’s wishing all who celebrate it a very merry Christmas. I hope all of my FHO readers will share good food, good company and good stories with the people you love over the coming days, as we will here in DC. See you next week!

Categories
DV/IPV Sexual Assault

Violence During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

I’m having some serious internet issues today, so I will keep this short. A new VAWnet applied research paper is now available: Violence During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period (PDF). Perfect for your January staff meeting (because we know at this month’s meeting it’s all about appreciating your staff and stuffing yourselves full of somebody’s homemade yum yums).

Stop back tomorrow for another great resource from a colleague and FHO reader…

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Uncategorized

Since Last We Spoke, Coping After Trauma Edition

This weekend I talked with my daughter about what happened in Connecticut on Friday, and frankly it wasn’t as good a conversation as I would have liked (Facetime is no substitute for being able to reach out and hug your kid in times like these, so that was the #1 issue with our talk). It makes me think about how easily I can talk to patients about traumatic events, and yet how difficult it is for me to talk about similar issues with my own kid. Is it that I weigh every single word, making it feel like a more stilted conversation? I’m guessing some of you have some terrific insight into this phenomenon. In any event, my struggle as a parent makes me grateful for the resources that exist right now in helping children cope after trauma. It’s what I’ve been reading since last we spoke, and I’m guessing maybe you’ve been reading some of it, too. Feel free to add the resources you like in the Comments.

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Uncategorized

Grief

Today is my partner’s birthday. We applied for our marriage license today. Plenty of reasons for joy. Lots to be grateful for. But I have to tell you–as a parent, a healthcare provider and a citizen of this country I am filled with grief in the wake of the devastation in Connecticut and that is coloring everything around me. It is time for a meaningful conversation about gun control once and for all. This madness had to stop.

We are a military family. We own a handgun. I am not advocating for getting rid of all the guns. But the correlation between access and gun violence cannot be denied. All of us who do this work know just how easily violence flows through our communities. We are witness to it. Every day. Why on earth do we as a country continue to make it not only easy, but efficient for people to take lives?

The NRA has a powerful lobby here in DC, but who will be lobbying for those 26 people, most of whom were kids between the ages of 5 and 10, who died in Connecticut today? My prayers are with those victims and their families, the first responders and medical staff treating the wounded, and the entire town of Newtown, which will forever be shaped by this horror.

Categories
DV/IPV Sexual Assault

Strengthening Healthcare-Based Domestic Violence Programs through Evaluation

Futures without Violence is hosting a two-part webinar in January: Strengthening Healthcare-Based Domestic Violence Programs through Evaluation. Part One will be held January 8th, 2013 from 1-2:30pm ET; Part Two will be January 31st, 12-1:30pm ET. Both are free, but require separate registration.

Categories
DV/IPV

Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence

Here’s a read worth your time:

From NCJRS: “The Attorney General’s Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence has released its final recommendations for a national response to address children’s exposure to violence. The report emphasizes prevention and intervention and underscores the importance of trauma-informed care and victim-tailored services.”

Categories
Child Abuse DV/IPV Sexual Assault

End of Year Continuing Education Credits, Part I

If you’re looking at your licensure and certification requirements and realizing you need to garner some additional CE hours before the end of the year, here are some ideas for  credits that are $25 or less. All have some forensic healthcare application, whether directly or as related to patient education, discharge planning, etc. I’ll be back with Part II later in the week.

Categories
DV/IPV Sexual Assault

Since Last We Spoke, 12-10-12

A happy Monday morning from rainy and cold Washington, DC. It’s a fine day to hunker down with a cup of tea and read. So let’s not waste any time, shall we? Here’s what I’ve been reading (and watching) since last we spoke:

Categories
Child Abuse Sexual Assault

Go-to Guide and a National Day of Remembrance and Action

Today (December 6th) is Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action To End Violence Against Women. So it’s only fitting that our Go-to Guide for the day comes from someone who has been working doggedly to address and enhance the response to victims of violence–not just in Canada (where she works and lives), but globally.

Categories
DV/IPV

Comparing Survey Findings from Selected National Surveys on Intimate Partner Violence

Well this is a pretty fantastic resource: a new crib sheet from the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence comparing survey findings from some of the national surveys on IPV. (Hint: this would make a great discussion focus for an upcoming staff meeting)

Categories
Uncategorized

How Plan B Works

Good information, creatively (and simply) delivered:

(AsapSCIENCE via Jezebel)

Categories
Sexual Assault

Victim Notification In An Audit of Unprocessed Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Kits

On December 17th at 1pm ET, the DNA Resource Center is hosting a webinar, Victim Notification in an Audit of Unprocessed Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Collection Kits: Lessons Learned from the Michigan 400 Project. From the site:

The 400 Project was an OVW-funded project initiated by the Michigan Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention and Treatment Board in early 2010 to determine the scope of work, cost, and likely outcome of forensic analysis of more than 10,000 unresolved sexual assault forensic evidence kits found in the City of Detroit Police Department Crime Lab. 

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Uncategorized

Go-To Guide: Electronic Records

As I mentioned last week, I will be featuring some go-to tools and resources this holiday season for those of you thinking about how to upgrade your team’s operations or reward staff for their amazing dedication to this work and our patients. (Feel free to contact me with your own list of tools and resources and I’ll feature them here this month.) First up, Karyn Rasile from Scottsdale, AZ: