Forensic Nursing, Part 2

While in Canada, forensic nurses are currently limited to working as sexual assault examiners or as independent nurse consultants, in the United States, forensic nurses generally have more specialties to choose from.

Other Forensic Nursing Options

Nurse death investigators and nurse coroners are responsible for investigating violent, unexpected, and suspicious deaths. They respond to the scene of an accident or suspicious death, collaborate with police, pronounce death, examine the body, take samples, take photos, keep records, and arrange for the transportation of the body. During autopsies, nurse death investigators and forensic pathologists work together to collect evidence. In certain parts of the United States, nurses can practice as coroners.

Forensic clinical nurses treat victims of violence and trauma, and may be asked to attend the scene of accidents, catastrophes, and natural disasters. They may also collect evidence and assist in police investigations.

Legal nurse consultants use their medical knowledge to help solve legal problems. They review the validity of workers' compensation cases, or examine medical records to help attorneys decide if professional negligence has occurred. Legal nurse consultants can help attorneys prepare for cases and testify as expert witnesses at trials. Employers include law firms, attorneys, and workers' compensation boards. For more information, visit the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants website.

Forensic gerontology specialists aid in the investigation of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Similarly, forensic pediatric specialists investigate cases of abuse, sexual abuse, and mistreatment involving minors. Both gerontology and pediatric specialists work to raise awareness regarding legal and human rights issues.

Forensic correctional nursing specialists investigate allegations of abuse made against police and correctional facilities.

Education and Training

All forensic nurses must be licensed RNs. Since the field is diverse and relatively new, educational requirements for specific jobs may vary.

As mentioned in part one of this article, after training and the successful completion of a certification exam, RNs can obtain the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Adult/Adolescent (SANE-A) designation from the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN).

Many educational institutions also offer their own training and certification programs. A list of some programs can be found on the IAFN website. Lists of accredited clinical nurse specialist programs and forensic nurse programs can be found by searching on AllNursingSchools.com. Information on Canadian and international forensic nursing programs can be found at Forensics.ca.

Salary

Salaries for forensic nurses are comparable with other RN specialties. Compensation will vary depending on specialization, experience, seniority, and geographic location.

According to information from the HealthcarePrograms.com website, an American forensic nurse's salary starts around US$26 per hour and can reach US$100 per hour. Based on a 40-hour work week, this amounts to an annual salary of US$54,080 to US$208,000. Legal nurse consultants can earn upwards of US$150 per hour. (No salary ranges for the profession in Canada were available.)

Future Prospects

Forensic nursing is an expanding field with good job prospects for all specialties.

Mary Waters, a SANE who was interviewed for the first part of this article, believes that forensic nurses could be a great aid to the police in treating victims of accidents, trauma, and violence. For example, an ER nurse might cut off and discard a patient's clothing when treating a stab wound, while a forensic nurse would be careful to preserve the clothing as evidence. Waters believes that forensic nurses could also be instrumental in designing and implementing personal safety programs in hospitals, and could help hospitals prepare for disasters, terrorism, and other threats.

Forensic nursing is a diverse and growing field that offers many exciting opportunities. Whether they are working in the emergency room or the courtroom, forensic nurses can develop and exercise a wide range of skills, work with new technology, and improve the lives of others. Furthermore, forensic nurses have the unique ability to act as liaisons between individuals, the justice system, and the community at large.

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See the first part of this article, Forensic Nursing, Part 1 (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners).

Visit the following websites for more information: • International Association of Forensic Nurses • American Forensic Nurses • Forensic Nurses Society (Canada) • Forensics.ca • Forensic Education (Canada)

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