Forensic Nurses Work Closely With the Criminal Justice System

Arizona Nurse,  May 2005  by Turner, Pam

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I am a Registered Nurse with a certification in Forensic Nursing. Forensic nursing first came about in the 1970's and has progressed over the past thirty years with the International Association of Forensic Nursing being established in 1992.

Forensic Nursing includes many aspects of nursing from the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner to the Correctional Nurse, to the Nurse Coroner/ Death Investigator, Legal Nurse Consultant, Forensic Psychiatric Nurse and many more areas.

Forensic Nursing is the application of forensic science combined with the bio-psychological education of the registered nurse. These duties could include:

* Scientific investigation

* Evidence collection and preservation

* Analysis and prevention

* Treatment of trauma and/or death related medical-legal issues.

The Forensic Nurse works closely with patients and/or victims of violence, criminal activity and traumatic accidents. The Forensic Nurse may be the first to recognize or realize that a patient is a victim of crime and is therefore able to document the injuries and collect the evidence that will be used in a court of law. The Forensic Nurse works closely with victims of domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, elder or child neglect and many other patients that may be victims of a crime from stabbings, gunshot wounds, auto accidents, physical assaults and any other accidents or suspicious deaths/ illnesses or injuries.

As a Certified Forensic Nurse, I am working to extend my nursing knowledge and practice to provide patients who are victims of crime with the same type of a medical exam and documentation of injuries as the deceased receive when they are examined by the medical examiner.

Pam Turner RN, CFN, Night Charge Nurse, Flagstaff Medical Center

Copyright Arizona State Nurses Association May 2005
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