Diane Daiber '89
Diane Daiber was already a registered nurse when she came to Ursuline to finish her bachelor's degree in nursing. Because of her life experience, she was ready to soak up more than just the facts presented in the classroom. Her college experience helped her gain a wider prospective of the world and opened her eyes to other people's opinions."
"Ursuline empowers women," said Daiber. "When I left there, I felt I could do anything I wanted. Never had I felt that way before. I was very motivated to keep going." Since earning her degree in 1989, Daiber has worked in a variety of areas at Hillcrest Hospital, mostly in the emergency room.
For the past five years, she has worked as a case manager in the ER, a position that entailed some "heavy social work." The sexual assault cases especially concerned her, including the victim's hospital treatment. "I never heard much about social justice or violence against women before coming to Ursuline. Learning about it motivated me to make a difference in women's lives," she said.
In 1991 she trained to be a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE), including working with prosecutors, police and state and county crime labs. Today she is the program coordinator of eight SANE nurses at Hillcrest. She makes sure someone is on duty or on call at all times. The forensic nurses perform a complete exam, including photo documentation of injuries and taking DNA samples, as well as finding out if any substances were involved, such as a daterape drug or alcohol. They also do crisis intervention, provide contacts to counseling, and make sure the victim is emotionally ready to be released with a safe place to go.
That was just the start. Daiber pushed for a larger program and wrote grant proposals to start a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), which includes members of law enforcement, prosecution and advocacy groups such as the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. She credits the strength and perseverance she learned at Ursuline for keeping her motivated, even though she was turned down four times before finally receiving a grant.
In 2003, SART opened its doors and was the first of its kind in Cuyahoga County. Today she continues to train other nurses and law enforcement officers around the county, including more than 25 groups in 2004. She also is also a member of the Domestic Violence Coalition. "It’s my passion," said the married mother of three. "I'd like to expand the program to include domestic violence as well."
