Georgia Forensic Nursing Network

11/18/2025

Dear GFNN & SAFE Network Communities,

I know many of you have had questions about IAFN’s current restructuring and what it means for your training, certification, and continued practice. I want to offer clear guidance and—most importantly—reassurance.

First and foremost: IAFN continues to offer online SANE training and continues to award continuing education (CE) credits for its online educational activities.
Nothing about the organizational restructuring changes the validity, quality, or rigor of the educational programs you have already completed.

Your training remains valid. Your certification remains valid.
The restructuring does not invalidate any IAFN-provided training or certifications earned to date. There is no need—financially or professionally—for nurses or programs to repeat or replicate activities that have already been successfully completed.

As a reminder, all training provided through GFNN and the SAFE Network—including education delivered by our valued community partners such as Crisis Services of North Alabama (CSNA)—is evidence-based, aligned with national protocols, and consistent with best practice standards.

We have fought hard as a community to build recognition and credibility for our specialty. I want to emphasize:

🔹 Certification is not ending. It is temporarily paused during the restructuring.
🔹 The pause is administrative—not reflective of any issue with the credential or with those who hold it.

Please remain patient as IAFN continues its internal work and prepares guidance on next steps, particularly regarding future certification cycles. I will share updates promptly as they become available.

In the meantime, keep doing what you do so well—providing skilled, compassionate, trauma-informed care to survivors. Our work continues, our community remains strong, and your commitment remains essential.

With gratitude and solidarity,
TS

11/18/2025

Reposting from Natalia North, Blogger at Beneath the Surface of Purpose

In light of the sudden restructuring at IAFN, other organizations are already promoting their own certifications as alternatives. Moments like this can create pressure to act quickly or “fill the gap,” which is exactly why forensic nurses need clarity and confidence before spending money. This is not about judging any organization. It is about making informed, financially responsible decisions during an unstable time.

In nursing, the primary national body that establishes credibility for specialty certification is the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). When a certification is accredited or recognized by ANCC, it signals:
professional legitimacy
broader acceptance across institutions
alignment with established nursing standards
national recognition
meaningful impact on hiring, credentialing, or advancement.
Without ANCC recognition, a certification may still offer useful education, but its professional impact can be inconsistent, employer-dependent, and at times limited. Right now, certifications from FNCB are not accredited. That doesn’t make them harmful, it simply means nurses should take a more thoughtful approach to what they are paying for and why.

I encourage forensic nurses to be intentional with their investments. If a certification is not accredited or recognized by ANCC, and if it does not clearly support your immediate or long-term goals, it may be wise to wait.
Credentialing committees may or may not count it. Employers may or may not consider it valuable. In times of uncertainty, your money and your professional growth deserve extra protection.

Before You Pay for Anything, Ask Yourself:
Is this certification accredited or recognized by ANCC?
Does my hospital or system formally acknowledge or reward it?
Will it meaningfully help my career, or is it simply additional letters?
Does this reflect the reality of current forensic nursing practice?
Am I investing because it benefits me, or because it benefits the organization offering it?
If you cannot answer these questions with confidence, it’s okay to pause.
You are not “falling behind.” You are being intentional.

Here’s the Truth:
Your value does not come from a badge.
Your competence is not determined by extra letters. Your strength comes from:
your clinical skill
your documentation
your trauma-informed approach
your mentorship
your lived experience
your commitment to patients
These are the things that define the specialty.
These are the things that build careers.
These are the things that matter.

My Guidance, Said Simply
If a certification is not accredited
or not recognized by ANCC,
and if it does not clearly support your professional goals, wait before spending your money. Forensic nursing already carries enough emotional and financial weight.
Do not let instability in the field create pressure to purchase something that may not serve you.
Protect your wallet.
Protect your time.
Protect your practice.
And above all, protect your future.

09/19/2025

St. Croix friends - please join Women’s Coalition of St. Croix on September 25th for National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims.

06/30/2025

Another successful clinical skills training weekend in the books! Thank you to Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing for being a wonderful training host! And thank you to our fabulous forensic nursing training team!

05/24/2025

CONGRATS to all of the new GFNN/SAFE SANE Certified nurses!

Between both testing cycles, SAFE has supported 6 SANE-As and 3 SANE-Ps to their goals of certification!

Currently in Georgia:
There are now 22 SANE-Ps - 9 of them became certified through GFNN/SAFE - that is 40.9% of the SANE-Ps in Georgia!
There are now 43 SANE-As - 9 of them became certified through GFNN/SAFE - that is 20.9% of the SANE-As in Georgia!

Our main training partner Crisis Services of North Alabama (CSNA) now has:
10 SANE-A (adult) certified nurses
5 SANE-P (pediatric) certified nurses
9 out of the 15 nurses were certified through GFNN/SAFE's support

To put that into perspective, there are 44 SANE-A nurses and 19 SANE-P nurses across the entire state of Alabama. The CSNA team makes up a significant portion (34% A & 26% P).

We still have a long way to go to ensure that ALL survivors of violence have access to trained and certified SANE nurses, but we are making progress!

CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN! Thank you for your commitment to serving survivors of violence in your communities!

05/06/2025

May is National Military Appreciation Month and we honor and recognize the service and sacrifices of members of the U.S. Armed Forces. GFNN/SAFE would like to express gratitude and support for current and former military personnel, as well as their families.

05/05/2025

Happy National Nurses Week to all our fabulous nursing colleagues! Thank you for making the world a better place!

03/28/2025

An Emory School of Nursing Research Colleague is looking to speak with women, and key informants (i.e. first responders, community leaders, and government officials) about their experiences navigating or responding to rapid onset natural disasters (such as wildfires, hurricanes, tornados, landslides, earthquakes). First responders can include formal positions that have responded to women during disasters from nurses, EMT's, firefighters, to law enforcement.

They are specifically looking for those who live in the southeast.

Click for an overview of the project and how to join in participating: (Spanish) https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/seedisaster/sample-page/
and English: https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/disasters/

03/17/2025

What an amazing week of learning with our wonderful community partners in the USVI.

07/06/2024

We are hiring! If you are a project manager or have experience working with grants please consider applying.

Emory University is a leading research university that fosters excellence and attracts world-class talent to innovate today and prepare leaders for the future. We welcome candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of our academic community.

06/27/2024

Thank you HRSA for your support - we truly could not do it without you!

06/27/2024

Excited to announce that we have received funding for another three years and will be expanding to provide services outside of Georgia. Thank you to everyone and especially to HRSA for this amazing opportunity!