Nurses Week; Racine nurse provides crucial care

RACINE, Wis. - Monday marks the start of Nurses Week, when health care providers highlight the work of all nurses.

Rachel Cortez knows everything about this forensic exam room.

She's the reason it's at Ascension's All Saints Hospital in Racine.

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"I was one of those children that was out on the playgrounds, and if somebody fell, I ran over to them and wanted to take care of them," Cortez said.

Now, her care is crucial.

"They're scared," she said. "It took a lot of courage to come in, and we want to make sure that their care is validated."

Cortez leads the forensic nurse-sexual assault treatment center at Ascension Wisconsin.

Because of her expertise, the provider created the unit in 2018, which is now able to care for any victim of sexual assault, domestic violence, trafficking, exploitation or abuse, within 60 minutes of them presenting to an ascension hospital or to law enforcement.

And her impact isn't just internal.

Cortez regularly trains professionals around the state to better care for patients.

She said it all starts with establishing rapport with the victim to document their injuries and guide them toward resolution.

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"When we encounter these patients, a lot of power has been taken away from them. And so, we really try to really instill that power back in them."

The treatment center now serves more than 600 patients a year - across Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine and Waukesha counties.

And Cortez's reach will grow again soon, when her daughter will enter the nursing profession as well.