TAMIU Hosts SANE Boot Camp to Strengthen Regional Capacity Aug. 20 -22

Texas A&M International University’s Advanced Nurse Education Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, or TAMIU-SANE, Program will host its third SANE Boot Camp 3, “Beyond the Basics,” Wednesday-Friday, Aug. 20 - 22, 2025 in Laredo.

Registration deadline for certified and returning SANEs and returning SANEs is Wednesday, Aug. 13. For more information or to register, visit www.tamiu.edu/conhs/sane.

Held at two locations, the TAMIU College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the Webb County Justice Center, the training is designed to support registered nurses who are entering, strengthening or seeking to reenter the SANE workforce. It will offer advanced simulation-based clinical training and courtroom readiness practice, and is designed to support professional certification, continuing education, and re-entry into SANE practice.

The TAMIU-SANE Program is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The program’s mission is to increase the number of certified SANEs, expand access to forensic medical exams in medically underserved areas, and establish a Community of Practice to support training, mentorship and retention.

From Wednesday-Thursday, Aug. 20 - 21, nurses in training will participate in hands-on forensic simulation exams for pediatric, adolescent, and adult patients using standardized patients at the TAMIU College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Training includes trauma-informed care techniques, evidence collection, documentation, and clinical decision-making.

On Friday, Aug. 22, activities will move to the Webb County Justice Center in the 49th Judicial District Court, where SANE trainees, certified SANEs and returning nurses will take part in a live, mock trial developed in partnership with legal and judicial professionals. The session includes testimony and cross-examination practice, courtroom observation and legal communication skill-building.

“We are honored to host this important training, which supports both our current trainees and welcomes back experienced SANEs and those re-entering the field,” said Dr. Robert Moran, principal investigator of the TAMIU-SANE Program.

Current SANE trainees are required to attend all three Boot Camp days. Certified SANEs are encouraged to attend the final day for legal skills development and professional community engagement. Returning SANEs with lapsed certification are invited to refresh legal skills and reconnect with the regional SANE workforce.

Travel assistance is available for currently enrolled trainees who live outside of Laredo.

“By establishing new partnerships, developing SANE mentors and hosting training events like SANE Boot Camp 3, the program is helping to build a resilient, trauma-informed nursing workforce equipped to serve vulnerable populations throughout the U.S.–México border region,” said Dr. Marivic Torregosa, co-principal investigator for TAMIU-SANE.