Human Trafficking: Providing Meaningful Intervention - Online Course

Human trafficking is a pervasive issue, and victims often seek medical care while still being exploited—yet many healthcare providers miss the signs. As a nurse, you are uniquely positioned to identify and support trafficking victims, but would you recognize the red flags. This comprehensive course provides practical, evidence-based strategies to help you detect, intervene, and provide trauma-informed care for individuals affected by trafficking. Through real-world case studies, expert insights, and actionable interventions, you’ll gain the confidence to navigate these critical encounters and ensure victims receive the help they need.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?

Without the right training, you might overlook key indicators of human trafficking, missing an opportunity to provide meaningful support. By strengthening your ability to recognize warning signs, you'll be better equipped to make a real impact—whether that means connecting a patient to vital resources, offering compassionate care, or simply knowing when and how to ask the right questions. Gaining this knowledge not only enhances your clinical skills but also ensures you’re prepared for situations where your awareness could make all the difference. Take this course to build your expertise, strengthen your ability to advocate for vulnerable patients, and play a crucial role in addressing a global issue—one patient at a time.

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Define the various types of human trafficking.
• Recognize common indicators of human trafficking.
• List health problems experienced by victims of human trafficking.
• Identify ways nurses can intervene if human trafficking is suspected.
• Describe interventions that can be implemented when encountering a victim of trafficking in the healthcare setting.

AUTHOR:

Diana Kovacic, DNP, RN
Dr. Kovacic received her DNP degree from Case Western Reserve University in 2017. Dr. Kovacic's thesis was centered around creating an instrument to assess health care providers’ knowledge of human trafficking. Dr. Kovacic volunteers for an agency in Cleveland working with victims of human trafficking and has worked abroad with men and boys in Thailand who were victims of sex trafficking. Dr. Kovacic is a full-time tenured professor at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio.

REVIEWER:

Debra Holbrook, MSN, RN, SANE A, FNE A/P, DF-AFN, FAAN, AFN-C
Mrs. Holbrook founded a Forensic Nurse Examiner Program in Delaware that became a model of the United States (US Senate Subcommittee /Biden, 2002), testifying on Capitol Hill before a Senate Judicial Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs on behalf of the Bill that was signed into law in 2005 as the DNA Justice Act. She is the recipient of numerous international awards, including the ANCC Magnet International Nurse of the Year, the Delaware Nurse of the year, the International Association of Forensic Nurses Pioneer Award, the 2014 Most Influential Marylanders in Healthcare, Distinguished Fellow - Academy of Forensic Nursing, and the prestigious Fellow American Academy of Nursing. She is the Pres Elect of the Academy of Forensic Nursing, has authored grants totaling over 11million dollars to benefit victims of crimes and lectures educating professionals internationally.