As a registered nurse and Forensic Healthcare Program Manager for Womack Army Medical Center, Kelly Taylor and her team provides compassionate care and support to survivors of sexual assault. With a passion for forensics and a drive to make a difference, Taylor shares her journey and insights on the importance of consent, boundaries, and healthy relationships.

Taylor’s path to becoming a sexual assault nurse examiner began while working in emergency medicine where she encountered patients that experienced trauma, physical and sexual abuse.

“My passion was caring for patients that come in the most vulnerable moments of their lives and so I wanted to channel that passion into something meaningful,” said Taylor.

Though difficult, Taylor has found her experience working with these patients to be very rewarding.

“There is great beauty in knowing that you are helping someone on their journey to survivorship,” said Taylor. After meeting with our team, they leave our exam room with hope and confidence that they are heard, and they are believed.”

The team, which is made up of trained, skilled trauma informed forensic examiners, follow-up providers and forensic assistants has grown, reducing the amount of time that patients must go through an exam.

Taylor emphasizes the need to dispel common misconceptions about sexual assault and the examination process.

"We want people to know that they're safe, and as a team we work with agencies on and off Fort Liberty to ensure a warm handoff so that they will get the care they need that will fit their life.’

As an expert in her field, Taylor has testified in court-martial proceedings, providing critical medical expertise to the legal process.

“Explaining to panels and judges what medical care really looks like and providing our medical expertise, in a court-martial proceeding is invaluable,” said Taylor. “I think there's a lot of misconceptions, that people have about medical care, and the immediate and lifelong implications of sexual assault trauma, strangulation.”

"We don't just treat physical injuries; we also provide emotional care and holistic support," she notes.

Taylor stresses the importance of prioritizing patients' comfort and well-being while still collecting thorough documentation and evidence.

"We allow patients to drive the exam and drive the care. Medical care is always going to be parallel with consent at any time," Taylor explains.

To better support survivors of sexual assault, Taylors advocates for continued education and training in trauma-informed care.

"We need to know what right looks like, and when we all know what right looks like, it will only improve patient outcomes.”

Recognizing the emotional toll of working with trauma survivors, Maj Julia Ueltzen, perioperative nurse and member of Taylor’s team is developing resiliency tools for forensic healthcare professionals. Her hope is that this will create a stronger and healthier forensic team. Decreasing team turnover and reducing the occurrence of vicarious trauma.

“As a forensic team member, we are seeing the worst of humanity on a regular basis. Unfortunately, sexual assault and domestic violence will never go away, but we can change the way we care for those who care for those patients. It is not okay to just ignore your feelings and emotions. It is okay to not be okay. We must normalize the conversation around mental health and support one another," Ueltzen emphasizes.

Ueltzen has been working on this resiliency project as part of her Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree (DNP). The project aims to implement resiliency training within the medical facility. Self-care is foundational to resiliency, Ueltzen stresses.

"If you don’t know who you are and where you came from, it's difficult to navigate where you're going."

She encourages healthcare professionals to prioritize self-care, finding activities that work for them, such as reflection, exercise, or hobbies.

Taylor and Ueltzen urges readers to listen to survivors, educate themselves on resources, and promote a culture of consent and respect. By prioritizing resiliency and self-care, healthcare professionals can better support trauma survivors and maintain their own well-being.

"We want to be the light in the darkness and give victims of crime a voice," Taylor concludes.