Betty Irene Moore Fellow receives Innovation Award from American Nurses Association

April 4, 2025

By Megan Hansen

Sheridan Miyamoto, 2020 cohort Betty Irene Moore Fellow, received the 2025 Innovation Award from the American Nurses Association. (Photo courtesy of the American Nurses Association.)

Nurse scientists are at the forefront of health care innovation, developing solutions that improve patient outcomes and transform clinical practice. This year, the American Nurses Association recognized Betty Irene Moore Fellow Sheridan Miyamoto and her team with the 2025 Innovation Award for their work on the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Telehealth (SAFE-T) System, a health care model that expands access to high-quality forensic medical care for survivors of sexual assault.

Miyamoto, a 2020 cohort Betty Irene Moore Fellow and associate professor at the Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, leads a cross-functional team of experts in nursing, forensic science and health care policy. She received the $50,000 award March 11 at a special online ceremony. The award honors novel, scalable approaches to improving patient care and health outcomes while supporting the production and implementation of these innovations.

Sheridan Miyamoto, a family nurse practitioner with more than 20 years of experience in developing and expanding telehealth to improve access to high-quality forensic sexual assault care, demonstrates how to use the SAFE-T System equipment.

Launched in 2017 with support from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, the SAFE-T System enhances forensic sexual assault care in rural and underserved areas by connecting health care providers with expert Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) via a secure telehealth-enabled platform. The system allows for accurate evidence collection and secure cloud storage, preserving high-quality injury photos for survivors who choose to pursue legal action.

The SAFE-T System model also fosters a supportive environment for clinicians by offering peer-to-peer support, training, mentoring and quality assurance, helping reduce burnout. Its multidisciplinary approach connects survivors with law enforcement, advocacy groups and child welfare organizations, transforming sexual assault care and supporting survivors’ healing.

Based at Penn State, the SAFE-T System is used in hospitals across six health systems. This is just the beginning for Miyamoto, who plans to use her award funds to expand the program nationwide and explore opportunities beyond hospital settings.

“Only about 20% of sexual assault survivors seek care at hospitals. We need to reach those people who may not come to a hospital but still need guidance, options and support,” Miyamoto said. “Expanding the SAFE-T System’s reach helps ensure more survivors have access to trauma-informed care, no matter where they are.”

Sheridan Miyamoto presented the results of her fellowship project at Convocation 2023.

For her fellowship project with the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators, Miyamoto further refined the SAFE-T System model. She credits the fellowship with providing essential financial support, educational opportunities and a network of experts who helped develop and scale the system.

“I wanted to design every aspect of the technology alongside nurses to ensure it truly worked for them. The goal was to create a system so seamless that, in such a sensitive moment, the technology fades into the background. We had to build it thoughtfully, and through the fellowship, I learned user-centered design, design thinking and how to prototype effectively,” Miyamoto said.

Monthly fellowship meetings and the annual convocation event played a key role in shaping her leadership and strategic vision by providing expertise from professionals in business development, communications and policy. Miyamoto acknowledges the dedication of fellowship leaders and program faculty, emphasizing their willingness to go beyond their formal roles to provide continuous support and encouragement.

“The entire fellowship ecosystem is remarkable. Program leaders, peers and faculty all brought energy and insight that propelled the SAFE-T System forward,” Miyamoto said.

Sheridan Miyamoto, center, celebrates the completion of her fellowship program at Convocation 2023 with Susan C. Reinhard, left, visiting professor with the fellowship and Fellowship National Advisory Council member, and Heather M. Young, right, fellowship national program director. 

Mentorship also played a pivotal role not only in shaping the SAFE-T System but also in Miyamoto’s advancement as a nurse leader and innovator. Both her self-selected mentor, chosen during the application process, and a program-appointed mentor have supported her growth and continue to serve as valuable sounding boards for her work.

“During the fellowship, Dr. Miyamoto not only advanced the SAFE-T System, but took proactive steps to engage state legislators, raise awareness and secure funding solutions. Additionally, she built and leads a dedicated network of business advisers committed to helping her transform the platform into a viable nationwide solution. She is a natural leader and the fellowship strengthened her abilities,” said James V. Pietropaolo, director of the Startup Leadership Network at Penn State and Miyamoto’s self-selected mentor.

Connie Mitchell, deputy director of the Center for Family Health at the California Department of Public Health and Miyamoto’s program-appointed mentor, agreed.

“Dr. Miyamoto exemplifies a true scholar in her curiosity and her ability to apply new understanding to the problem at hand. She is clear in her intentions, mindful in her focus and dedicated to advancing her science for the benefit of the people she serves, both patients and peers. She is also very kind, which means she walks the walk when it comes to compassion for others,” Mitchell said.

Sheridan Miyamoto, left, meets with Pennsylvania Sen. Elder Vogel, center,  who sponsored the bill that became Act 59 in 2023, expanding access to trained forensic nurses across the state to care for victims of sexual assault.

Reflecting on her upbringing, Miyamoto credits her mother, an educator, with instilling in her a deep sense of purpose and the drive to make a meaningful impact. Her journey into forensic health care was shaped by her early experiences in private practice in rural California. She encountered significant gaps in training and resources for addressing child abuse and sexual assault cases, leaving her uncertain about whether she was providing the best possible care. 

A pivotal moment came when she responded to a call for nurse practitioners to be trained to provide child abuse evaluations at the UC Davis Health Child and Adolescent Abuse Resource and Evaluation Center. Expecting a grim environment, she was surprised to find a safe place for children filled with warmth, care and laughter. It was there she discovered the power of patient-focused, multidisciplinary collaboration.

“Once I was there and doing the work, it was the moment I felt I was where I was meant to be,” Miyamoto said. “After I grew into the role, I turned my attention to developing a nurse-led tool specifically designed for forensic health care that integrates telehealth and enables the type of unintrusive and compassionate interaction I envisioned.”

In Pennsylvania, the impact of the SAFE-T System and Miyamoto’s leadership has been profound. The system’s success influenced legislative change, with Gov. Josh Shapiro signing Act 59 in 2023 to expand access to trained forensic nurses statewide.

Heather M. Young, fellowship national program director, said Miyamoto is a visionary leader whose commitment to restoring dignity and agency to those in need is commendable.

“Dr. Miyamoto is driving a transformative change in forensic health care, emphasizing accessibility, expertise and survivor empowerment. Through continuous expansion and innovation, her SAFE-T System is set to redefine forensic health care nationwide, providing hope and healing to countless survivors in the years ahead. She exemplifies transformational leadership by taking her experience in practice, her lessons from research and her vision for a better future to change policy and systems of care,” Young said.