SEXUAL ASSAULT EVIDENCE KIT

Every emergency department should have a sexual assault evidence collection kit (SAEK) containing most of the equipment needed to collect evidence. Any SAEK should be in a tamper-evident container and the integrity of the seal verified on a routine basis, and the nurse should not use any kit with a broken seal. The Texas Attorney General’s Office approves kits based on Texas evidence requirements. The SAEK generally contains swabs, swab boxes, a comb, envelopes, clothing collection paper, and paper bags. Texas does not mandate which kit is used.

Additional supplies that the nurse will need include, but are not limited to, powder-free gloves, sterile water, additional swabs, and a camera. A swab drying box or a perforated swab holder that can hold multiple swabs for air drying is helpful, but the SAEK contains boxes in which swabs can dry. Documentation forms may be included in the SAEK, downloaded (see “Resources”), or provided by the institution. Urine is collected separately in cases of suspected drug-facilitated sexual assault (Texas A&M, 2019).