Robin Matthews
June 2016
Robin
Matthews
,
CN4, CEN, CPEN, SANE-A, UBE
ED
Maine Medical Center
Portland
,
ME
United States

 

 

 

We recently had a 19-year-old ED patient who was a suspected victim of sexual abuse, sex-trafficking, pornography, and physical abuse, all at the hands of her own father. She was non-English speaking, one of seven children, and her mother was eight months pregnant with the eighth child.
Robin is the head of our Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner RN Program.She is our only nationally certified nurse examiner.She has been a passionate advocate for this population for many years.
On the day this woman was in the ED, Robin, who is our Unit-Based Educator, was in the middle of orienting a new staff member.She was asked to assist with this case and didn't hesitate to drop what she was doing to help.Robin lent her time, expertise, and compassion in helping to coordinate social aspects of care for this patient.There were major safety concerns for the patient, her siblings, and her mother.Robin coordinated the arrival of an advocate for the patient, police, and FBI reporting, as well as a DHS referral, a safety assessment of the family, and a safe place where the patient could be discharged. There was a warrant out for her father's arrest by the time the patient was discharged.
After all her work with this patient, she finished the new staff orientation without missing a beat. Maine Medical Center and the community is lucky to have Robin.She always goes above and beyond for our patients!