Target Audience
This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of nurses, physicians, and other health and legal professionals involved in the treatment and care of victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Estimated time to complete activity: 90 minutes
Statement of Need/Program Overview
Medical literature regarding issues of strangulation in children is limited and generally consists of case studies often involving fatality. Strangulation in children can present differently that than of the adult patient in that children may engage in "the choking game" without understanding the health consequences, may be attempting suicide or may be victims of child maltreatment with the offender using strangulation as a tactic.
Educational Objectives
After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:
- Define strangulation
- Identify the anatomy and physiology of the neck of pediatric patients as it relates to injuries post strangulation
- Recognize signs and symptoms associated with strangulation in pediatric patients
- Summarize the potentially lethal consequences of strangulation
- Discuss effective evaluation tools in caring for the pediatric strangulation patient.
Faculty
Jenifer Markowitz, ND, RN, WHNP-BC, SANE-A
Forensic Nursing Consultant, International Association of Forensic Nurses, Elkridge, MD
Jennifer Pierce-Weeks, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P
Project Director, International Association of Forensic Nurses,Elkridge, MD
Faculty Bio
Dr. Jenifer Markowitz is a forensic nursing consultant who specializes in issues related to sexual assault and domestic violence, including medical-forensic examinations, strangulation, expert witness testimony, and professional education and development. She currently provides expert testimony, case consultation, and TA and develops training materials, resources, and publications. Until December 2012, she served as the Medical Advisor for AEquitas: The Prosecutor’s Resource on Violence Against Women.
Ms. Jennifer Pierce-Weeks, a Project Director for IAFN, works with project partners and developed and implemented IAFN’s 40-hour online SAFE Adult/Adolescent training program with 16-hour clinical skills workshop through a grant from NIJ. She regularly presents nationally on a variety of forensic nursing-related topics, including child and adult sexual assault, intimate partner violence, strangulation, child maltreatment, and SART development.