Forensic Nursing

  By: Hyaal Wehab

   My post this week is regarding an article that I found through the Michigan State University library database. This article, by Kara Douglas, focuses on the importance of Forensic Nurse examiners, yet that there are very few amounts in this occupation.

    

   At the time of a crime, or sexual assault, forensic nurses are the first line of defense for victims, due to the fact that they are the ones who collect the evidence and information necessary to further investigate the situation of the victim. Although “nursing” is in the name of the occupation, forensic nurses are set apart from other nursing professions for various reasons. Although they are working in a clinic or hospital like other nursing professions, they are linked closely with police departments and even investigative services. Since they are linked to these services, they provide them with all of the information necessary to continue in an investigation; basically they are the ones to find the evidence before it is too late, and if they do not document this evidence in a timely fashion, then  both the victim and the suspect can face negative consequences. The outcome of any case depends on the work of a forensic nurse. Though the importance of a forensic nurse’s job is clear, the amount of support that they receive lacks immensely. Many nurses in this field realize that they do not receive the support that they need, financially and mentally, and they end up resigning, leaving a gap in the field of forensic examiners. In Alice Springs, Australia, many forensic nurses resigned, only leaving patients in need of forensic examination, the option of flying to different parts of Australia, in order to receive the service that they need. Situations like these are what can influence the outcome of a crime investigation, because in the time that the patients are flying to another part of Australia, the time frame that the DNA needs to be collected in begins to close, affecting the amount of evidence available. Along with very little emotional support, the financial support that they receive lacks, which also affects the employment rate of nurses in this field. In the United States, forensic nursing is much more established, but that does not mean that they did not have a few bumps in the road. Evidence claims that the field of Forensic nursing will grow as years go on.

  Reading this article helped me realize the importance of this field of nursing, and the importance of teamwork in everything, whether it is a school project, or between the police department and forensic nurses. Forensic nurses are just as important in the medical field as is a geriatric, neonatal or addiction nurse. I would like to know more about the procedures that a Forensic Nurse uses when investigating or caring for a victim. Are there different procedures for certain cases? If so, when does a forensic specialist know when to use a certain procedure? Do these nurses face any dangerous situations while working with victims or suspects? These are just a few of the things I would like to investigate deeper into. I hope this article was helpful for others, including myself, and gives others a view on the importance of this field in nursing occupations.

Article: SPOTLIGHT ON FORENSIC NURSING