Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Services Available Across Aspirus Emergency Departments
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month | Forensic nurses coordinate care across Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan
4/1/2026
Kari Rickert, RN, Aspirus Forensic Nurse
Access to specially trained forensic nurses can be limited in rural areas. To help ensure survivors receive timely care, Aspirus Health coordinates Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, or SANE, services across its emergency departments in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan.
In North Central Wisconsin, forensic nurses coordinate a mobile team that supports 12 hospitals throughout the region. In Minnesota and Michigan, hospitals use a coordinated call system to connect patients with trained forensic nurses.
“We learned there were gaps in the system because there are only so many trained forensic nurses in this specialty,” said Amy Riegert, RN, Aspirus Forensic Nurse and SANE Coordinator. “This has allowed us to extend our reach, especially into rural communities.”
When forensic support is needed, the emergency department contacts a trained nurse who conducts the medical-forensic examination, collects evidence, completes documentation, and provides patient-centered support. This coordinated approach allows emergency teams to remain focused on other critical patients while specialized care is delivered.
“With more education that we are able to provide to the emergency departments, they are better equipped to know what to do and how to connect with us and respond,” Riegert said.
Across the system, the priority remains compassionate, trauma-informed care.
“The SANE program provides forensic care to patients who have undergone a violent traumatic event such as sexual assault or nonfatal strangulation,” said Kari Rickert, RN, Aspirus Forensic Nurse. “My job is to ensure that we don’t re-traumatize the patient, which looks like offering them choices, letting them be in control, and providing options for their care.”
For survivors seeking care, SANE services are available at Aspirus emergency departments across Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. Patients may present to any Aspirus emergency department, and staff will coordinate appropriate forensic nursing support.
Regardless of location, survivors receive the same high-quality, patient-centered forensic services.
For more information about the Aspirus SANE program, visit aspirus.org/sexual-assault-treatment.
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