Standing Orders
Definition
Pre-authorised protocols signed off by a supervising physician or institution that permit the SANE to perform specified clinical acts (evidence collection, prophylaxis, emergency contraception) without a physician being present at the examination.
- Issued by
- Supervising physician or institution
- Grants
- Pre-authorised clinical acts without a physician present
- Covers
- Evidence collection, prophylaxis, emergency contraception
- Applies to
- SANE examinations
Common questions
Why do standing orders matter for the timeliness of a sexual assault exam?+
Without them, a SANE would need a physician physically present or reachable to authorise each clinical step, which can delay time-sensitive evidence collection and medication; standing orders let the nurse proceed immediately within the pre-approved protocol.
Do standing orders remove physician oversight entirely?+
No. A physician or institution signs off on the protocol in advance and remains accountable for it, and cases that fall outside the pre-authorised scope still require direct physician consultation before the SANE proceeds.
Related terms
- IAFN
- International Association of Forensic Nurses: the professional body that sets education standards, administers the SANE-A and SANE-P certification examinations, and publishes clinical...
- SAFE
- Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner: the UK and Canadian term for the specialist forensic-examiner role, which may be held by nurses, midwives, or...
- SANE
- Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner: a registered nurse credentialled by the IAFN to conduct medical-forensic examinations following sexual violence. SANE-A covers adult/adolescent patients;...
- Scope of Practice
- The legally defined boundaries of what a licensed nurse may do in a given jurisdiction, which for forensic nurses extends to evidence...
- Telehealth SANE
- A programme model in which a credentialled SANE provides real-time remote guidance via video link, enabling high-quality forensic examinations in rural or...