Katelyn Watts never thought that in just three months her graduate student project would rescue several human trafficking victims, capture accused traffickers, and become part of a hospital system’s screening process.
Watts, a recent Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate from the University of Florida College of Nursing , said she is heartened by the results yet saddened by the issue’s prevalence.
Watts hopes the project helps fight the growing problem, which impacts tens of thousands of children and adults yearly in the United States.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates up to 325,000 people are trafficked annually in the U.S. Florida ranks among the top states for trafficking, including forced sex work and labor.
“You see the posters and feel bad, but you don’t think it’s in your backyard. But it is. More and more it’s happening to kids. In many cases it’s a family member doing the trafficking,” Watts said.
With the help of UF College of Nursing faculty, Baptist Health, and EPIC Systems, an electronic health records software developer, Watts developed a screening tool template to identify potential human trafficking victims. The template works in the EPIC system used by health care workers assessing hospital patients. The information entered in the system raises flags that can identify a victim.