When a survivor of sexual assault seeks help at a hospital, every minute counts — for both healing and justice. Yet, out of 48 hospital emergency departments in Maryland, only half have forensic nurses as of 2024, and even fewer serve patients aged 12 and under. Survivors often must visit multiple hospitals to get the forensic exam they need. Maryland’s shortage of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) is so severe that a state committee recently suggested a telehealth solution: a pilot program allowing licensed examiners to guide non-specialist nurses remotely through rape kit evidence collection.

That temporary fix highlights the problem. Maryland is one of only six states that requires nurses to obtain a special license to perform these exams. This barrier keeps capable profe

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