Forensic Nursing: It's Not Just About Dead Folks Anymore!

Georgia Nursing, May-Jul 2006

Today, we are continually presented with media displays of "forensic" material. You can't turn the channel without being offered CSI (in one major city or another), New Detectives, Cold case Files, and the like. All are touting the new buzz work, forensics. Forensics, however, is not new and can have two very different meanings depending on its use as a noun or as an adjective. The word "forensic" comes from Latin origin meaning "before the forum." When used as a noun, forensics is a debate. When used as an adjective, it describes legal or judicial involvement, such as forensic pathology.

Nurses have historically been practicing "forensic nursing" for many years. We just didn't call it that until the 1990's when Virginia Lynch and others started defining forensic nursing and its role. Lynch describes forensic nursing as "the application of the forensic aspects of healthcare combined with the bio/psycho/social/spiritual education of the registered nurse in the scientific investigation and treatment of trauma and/or death victims and perpetrators of violence, criminal activity and traumatic accidents." Nurses, particularly those who work in emergency or critical care areas, have often had to go "before the forum" or to court and testify. Just documenting on a chart is a legal act.

Forensic nurses administer care to living victims and their families and to deceased victims and those left behind. Pioneers in forensic nursing are practicing in correctional facilities, in psych/mental health programs, as death investigators (some as coroners), as legal nurse consultants, as clinical forensic nurses in hospital settings, but the majority practice as sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE's).

During 1992, the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) was formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It serves as a cohesive organization for all arenas of forensic practitioners to network and share information. In 1995 the American Nurses Association recognized forensic nursing as a specialty and collaborated with IAFN to develop the Scope and Standards of Forensic Nursing Practice.

The Georgia Nurses Association (GNA) has also been supportive of forensic nursing practice. At the House of Delegates during 1997, GNA adopted an action report entitled "Provision of services for sexual assault survivors." This action report sought to: (1) support the preparation and use of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners to provide comprehensive care to survivors of sexual assault and, (2) educate nurses regarding the development of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Programs and the responsibility of local law enforcement to pay for the cost of the medical evidence collection.

After several years of inactivity, the Georgia chapter of IAFN is now up and running. To be a member of the state chapter, you must also hold membership in the IAFN at an international level. If you have an interest in forensic nursing or need additional information, please contact Pres. Denise Atkinson at 478.953.0776 or by email at forensicrn@cox.net.