SANE Practice Integrated Competency Evaluation (SPICE): A Forensic Nurse Role Development and Performance Tool

Despite the widespread adoption of established and emerging forensic training and education modalities, there is limited evidence supporting effective ways in which to systematically evaluate their adoption into forensic nursing practice. To address this, our team developed the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Practice Integrated Competency Evaluation (SPICE) as an innovative tool to support self-reflection, goal setting, and an evaluation of role development.

To establish expert consensus on the content and capacity of SPICE to evaluate role development across essential forensic nurse competencies, responsibilities, and clinical practice expectations.

We utilized a modified Delphi method to establish expert consensus.

We engaged forensic experts in multiple rounds of review. A deductive, rapid thematic analysis synthesized qualitative discussion. Survey-based results were summarized descriptively.

The expert consensus approach we describe here highlights the potential and promising utility of SPICE to evaluate, guide, and enhance SANE role performance and ongoing professional development.