Assistant Professor Dr. Kaylen Moore’s phone might have rung any time of the day or night with a new case. There was no telling how long that case might take her. Sometimes, it was just an hour or two; other times, it was 12.
“When the patient needs you is when you come in,” Moore says.
Moore spent nine years as a forensic nurse examiner at Advocate Aurora Health, specializing in intimate partner violence. Her job stood at the intersection of law enforcement, health care and patient advocacy, helping the legal system build cases against abusers while aiding victims’ recovery. This career informed her current research interest: exploring how African American women survivors of partner violence engage with health care and law enforcement systems.
Marquette Today caught up with Moore to talk about the impact she made in forensic nursing and how it shapes her teaching career.
How did you get started on your nursing career?
I did my undergraduate degree at Marquette, graduated, then spent 21 years as a registered nurse at Froedtert Hospital. But it was during my time as an undergrad that I first became interested in forensic nursing. I thought it was a fascinating field to get into to help people at their most vulnerable times.
What is a forensic nurse examiner, and what do they do?
A forensic nurse examiner works with health care and law enforcement to help victims of violent crimes and attain justice, however that may look to the survivor. We handle a lot of violent cases, including domestic violence and human trafficking, and collect legal evidence if the survivor wishes to proceed with reporting the assault.
To the extent there was a typical case, what does that process look like?
The typical sequence of events starts with either the survivor contacting police or sometimes they come into the emergency department on their own. Addressing life-threatening injuries, such as strangulation, is of the utmost importance. Sometimes they need to receive X-rays or CT scans or have broken bones or lacerations addressed before they see a forensic nurse examiner.
Once they are with a nurse examiner, I’d typically be working as part of a team that includes many disciplines. For example, an advocate, law enforcement or Child Protective Services. We focus on immediate priorities, such as developing a safety plan, which may include securing the safety of any children involved.
Did you have a personal philosophy about how the job should be carried out? If so, what was it and how did it manifest in the way you handled cases?
I always prioritize whatever their utmost concern was for the visit. If they wanted to go through the legal system and get evidence collected, I would help them do that. But if they only wanted, for example, medications to prevent pregnancy, then I would address that. The key was to make them feel comfortable and listened to, and to let their wishes determine our course of action.
You are currently researching how Black female victims of abuse navigate the health care system. What convinced you to focus your research there?
The health care system has historically been mistrusted in the Black community from transgressions around medical experimentation, and we still see health inequities there today. For Black women, their pain is not acknowledged in the same way as others when they go to health care agencies. That makes a lot of survivors who might otherwise access the care they need mistrust providers. I’ve spoken to some people who were even screened for partner violence in front of their abuser.
How did you maintain your peace and mental health when you were dealing with sad, violent situations as part of your everyday life?
You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others. Go to your annual physical exam, do mammograms, do dental checkups, get your eyes checked, make sure that you’re healthy and well equipped to take care of others. Talking with others in your field also helps, as far as finding people who relate to your work and understand the issues you have to navigate.
What made your current career as a professor and researcher a good fit for you?
I liked research, and I felt like survivors of intimate partner violence really needed someone who looked like them and understood their needs after experiencing violence. They needed someone who would be able to use research and interpersonal skills to change practice and policy among professionals.
Is there anything that makes you hopeful about the future of treatment for abuse victims?
I think what brings me hope is that a lot more people are aware of this now. For a lot of survivors, this was not talked about when they were growing up. It’s more out in the open now and more people are trying to intervene. Back then, it was closed doors. Lots of people said, “Let’s not talk about it” or “This is normal.” Even talking about it helps bring awareness and progress to resolving this issue.
