SANE Aid
Exploratory Design
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) are registered nurses specifically trained to care for sexual assault survivors in medical settings. SANE Aid is a mobile solution to enhance the training experience of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs). It helps nurses refine their skills as a community and fills the training gap by emphasizing critiques and case reviews. I designed SANE Aid using interviews and participatory feedback from two SANEs throughout the process and created a hi-fi prototype.
Overview
Role
UX Researcher & Designer (solo project)
Duration
8 weeks
Tools
Figma, Adobe Photoshop, & FlipHTML5
Deliverables
Hi-Fi prototype & Flipbook report
Process
DiscoverBackground research
ExploreReviseInterview
Lo-Fi prototype
Sketches
RefineFinalizeDeliverParticipatory feedback
Participatory feedback
Mid-Fi prototype
Flipbook report
Hi-Fi Prototype
Background
Initially, my motivation for this project was to improve interactions between nurses and sexual assault patients because exams can re-traumatize patients. I began the discovery phase by reviewing articles and policies to better understand the requirements of SANE training based on state laws and existing tools. Existing methods include required classroom training, webinars, and simulation labs (e.trained actors or virtual reality).
Existing training methods are only available to SANEs in formalized settings, access to simulation training is limited, and do not focus on “soft skills.”
Problem
This project was shaped by the Design Justice Network:
Build with the community
Support existing practices
Connect the present to the future
Design Principles
Create a solution that allows SANEs to continue practicing outside of classroom settings
Improve the interaction and communication between SANEs & patients
*Goals
I explored possible solutions through sketches focusing on nurse and patient interactions and “soft skills”. The original design plan was meant to provide an augmented patient to practice forensic exam procedures. To gain insight, I conducted a brief interview with 2 SANEs covering their experience with training, work, and where they need support. One SANE felt augmented patients were unnecessary due to the large number of patients in the ER. It became clear that AR was not a suitable medium for the problem.
Sketch to Lo-Fi Prototype
Original AR Design
Lo-fi redesign following feedback
*Redefining the Problem, Goals, & Solution
During the interviews, the SANEs emphasized that training challenges were unrelated to patient interactions. Instead, they needed more collaboration during case reviews and meetings. The solution had to support peer-to-peer collaboration so nurses can work with each other and review each other's work.
I revised the project goals to develop a tool that can work under the constraints of legal, state, and hospital requirements, facilitate discussion, and encourage feedback.
I created a lo-fi prototype exploring how to increase interaction during in-class training and meetings (group mode). The proposed solution lets SANEs use their phones to participate in polls and submit questions to facilitate discussion.
During the second feedback session, a SANE provided an example of a required documentation form that a colleague must review. I incorporated this form for documentation practice. I designed a feature for individual sessions so SANEs can document example cases and directly request feedback by sending their work to a colleague. She walked me through potential problems caused by using judgmental language, which could negatively impact patients. I added a warning pop-up to prevent errors and patient harm.
Mid-Fi Prototype
Required documentation
Mid-Fi screens with warning feature
Hi-Fi Prototype
I originally planned quick usability tests with two SANEs, but they had to cancel due to their limited schedule. Instead, I collected feedback from one nurse by providing the prototype link and a video demonstration. Although the feedback was positive, there was not enough to make sustainable changes. I focused on building out the prototype’s interactivity.
A Change of Plans
The final prototype includes detailed screens for the group sessions, including potential outcomes of case reviews and an option for live Q&A upvoting. These components are meant to be connected to existing training materials like slideshows and allow users to participate without speaking up during sensitive discussions.
Updates
I shared the report as a PDF with the violence prevention team at Swedish Hospital and the Illinois State SANE Coordinator. The purpose of this flipbook was to provide a detailed but accessible description of the project and design process for the department to use for future projects.
Flipbook Report
What worked: Switching the solution medium was a great experience, and it fits a user-centered approach because it prioritizes appropriately understanding the user's needs.
What didn't: A major constraint was that access to the nurses was limited to their work days when they were always on call. A lesson I learned was to pivot earlier to use other methods like surveys or remote testing. Even without a SANE nurse, remote testing would have refined the final design.
What's next: Potential future work would focus on usability testing and incorporating other user groups, such as SANE trainees. Additional areas to design could include accurately building the remaining sections of the forensic documentation form, a feedback rubric, and exploring how potential outcome videos could work within existing classroom training.