The local media has discussed the issue over the lack of rape kits at Centra Southside Community Hospital in recent weeks, gaining the attention of the Farmville community, as well as the hospital’s employees. Currently, there are no forensic nurses employed at the Southside location. Forensic nurses are who would be able to do the procedures necessary for a rape kit. According to the head of forensic nursing at Centra in Lynchburg General Hospital, April Rasmussen, the program has currently run out of Centra’s Lynchburg location where program victims must be transported about an hour away for the procedure. Centra does provide this transportation.
The Southside location once had a forensic nursing program, but disbanded it several years ago. Rasmussen said that Southside did not receive enough complaints to warrant the program being there, stating they “need nurses to be at the highest competency level,” and that this location did not give the nurses the experience necessary to keep the program going. Centra decided that it was better to handle all of these cases at the Lynchburg General Hospital site, where their trauma center is located. A Centra representative stated that it is common for regional hospitals not to have forensic nursing programs.
Southside, however, is a growing location. They recently renovated their lobby and added a café and gift shop. With Longwood’s growing numbers, and increase of sexual misconduct cases under Title IX, there is an added amount of pressure for Southside to change how it handles these situations.
Dr. Tim Pierson, Longwood’s vice president of Student Affairs, said that this issue is a large concern to the school, and he has been talking to Hampden-Sydney College administrators, Longwood University Police and the Farmville Police Department about expressing their concerns. Pierson stated that Longwood is trying to work with Centra, and is encouraging them to see the need that this community has. This particular location serves residents of eight counties, and Pierson hopes the hospital will provide services for the whole community’s wellbeing.
Longwood students have also started taking action. The College Republicans of Longwood University started a petition via change.org, attempting to influence the hospital. Their goal is to get 1,000 signatures before they send it to Centra.
