First off, welcome to the first post on the website! I'm excited to offer the posts through the website to reach an even greater audience.
Today's topic of forensic nursing is inspired by the fact that July 20-24 is Forensic Healthcare week. Rather than educate through summarizing, I thought the following interview with the CEO of the International Association for Forensic Nurses would be a great way to learn more about this field. For the full interview, please visit: https://www.registerednursing.org/interview/jennifer-pierce-weeks/.
Here is a section I am choosing to highlight from the interview:
"In your opinion, what makes a good nurse?"
"Well nursing is as broad a profession as it is deep, and much like an onion it has many, many layers. What I would say is what makes a good clinically practicing forensic nurse is equal parts empathy, critical thinking and ethics. Nurses must be ready to receive information that is often hard to listen to, hard to believe. And to be clear I do not mean hard to believe because there is an untruth, I mean hard to believe because how can it be that we have gotten to a place where we treat one another in these horrific ways? Critical thinking because being a forensic nurse is so much more than evidence collection. You must be able to consider and preemptively address the health issues, mental and physical, this person may be facing now or in the future, and some of the injuries these patients suffer are severe. By the same token, there may be little sign of physical injury. It is important that the nurse be able to speak to both of those situations and the continuum of what lies between. And lastly ethics. There is not room in nursing, certainly forensic nursing, for unethical behavior. Truly a nurse must be above reproach, not only because we are caring for other humans, but because we are often giving testimony in a court of law." (Registernursing.org Interview of Jennifer Pierce-Weeks, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P)
What kinds of services do forensic nurses provide?
Forensic nurses provide trauma-informed exams of patients who have experienced physical or sexual assault. Their role is to reduce the likelihood of any additional trauma to the patient as they provide medical services. In addition to ensuring patient safety and health, the nurse may collect legal evidence for any future prosecution of the offender. Another critical role that these nurses play is in educating others in the criminal justice field as well as medical, social services, legislative and beyond about various topics based on their unique knowledge and experience. Finally, these nurses may be required to testify in court regarding the case. Even when not working at the hospital, these nurses may be on-call 24/7/365 for their services, as needed.
Additionally, according to the Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) website:
"During the course of the exam, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners:
Obtain information about the survivor’s pertinent health history and the crime.
Assess psychological functioning.
Perform a physical examination to inspect and evaluate the body of the survivor (not a routine physical exam).
Collect and preserve all evidence and document findings.
Collect urine and blood samples and send them to designated laboratories for analysis in cases where drug-facilitated sexual assault is suspected.
Treat and/or refer the victim for further medical treatment (a SANE may treat minor injuries such as minor cuts and abrasions, but further evaluation and care of serious trauma is referred to a designated medical facility or physician).
Provide the victim with prophylactic medications for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and other care needed as a result of the crime.
Provide the victim with referrals for medical and psychological care and support." (https://www.novabucks.org/services/sexual-assault-exam/)
Where might you find forensic nurses?
Many hospitals employ forensic nurses, especially larger city and suburban hospitals. Sometimes, these nurses are associated with a sexual assault or rape, domestic violence, or victim services resource center. In some areas, they may be part of a SART or Sexual Assault Response Team, which could also include police and victim advocates.
Where can I find more information about this field?
Ms. Pierce-Week is the CEO of the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN), which offers a comprehensive source of information regarding this field. It is a useful tool for students hoping to pursue the field, as well as professionals hoping to learn more about the field. Their website is https://www.forensicnurses.org/ and you can find a great infographic to help guide prospective forensic nurses on their path.
***This week especially, but at all times, a huge thank you to all of those forensic nurses and other forensic healthcare workers! ***
Sources: [www.forensicnurses.org, https://www.registerednursing.org/interview/jennifer-pierce-weeks/; https://www.novabucks.org/services/sexual-assault-exam/]
Photo credit: Texas A&M University Health Science Center
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