Forensic nursing has emerged as a vital sub-area in the nursing field, requiring unique knowledge and skills in complex circumstances where health care and law converge.
Those working in this specialism tend to be scientifically minded, methodical problem solvers.
If this sounds like you, and you’re interested in pursuing a career as a forensic nurse, you’ll need to develop a solid foundation in nursing and build specialized knowledge of the field as it relates to forensics and law enforcement.
Your journey starts with pursuing relevant, high-quality education, such as an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Forensic Nursing or online Forensic Nursing Post-Master’s Certificate.
These credentials are designed to help you build the specialized knowledge to land a job in the field and thrive throughout your career. You also may need further professional certification and on-the-job training.
What Does a Forensic Nurse Do?
Forensic nursing is a multifaceted field that requires holistic operational approaches, techniques, tools and resources.
Forensic nurses typically provide short- and long-term care for patients who have suffered violence.
Their patients may include victims of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, child and elder abuse, human trafficking or homicide attempts. Some patients are behind bars for crimes they committed.
Naturally, treating these patients requires traditional nursing practices. However, forensic nurses also engage in the following:
- Tending to injuries sustained during acts of violence
- Acting as an intermediary among victims, perpetrators and law enforcement
- Providing crisis intervention for patients
- Consulting with and providing support to victims’ families
- Referring patients to ongoing support and recovery programs
- Collecting and preserving evidence, such as photographing injuries and saving torn clothing, to be used in legal proceedings
- Testifying in court cases
- Working with communities to provide anti-violence education and advocacy
Consequently, forensic nurses work in many environments that most practitioners may never see, such as community anti-violence programs, coroner and medical examiner offices, corrections institutions, law enforcement facilities, courthouses and crime scenes. They are also fixtures in traditional settings like medical hospitals, psychiatric hospitals and clinics.
Forensic Nurse Requirements and Credentials
To become a forensic nurse, you must complete a two-year program to earn an Associate Degree in Nursing or complete a four-year program to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, including the associated clinical training hours (up to 900 on average) for either program.
It is strongly recommended that students have successfully taken and passed biology and chemistry courses in high school before pursuing higher education in medical fields.
After obtaining a degree, students must pass the National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) to become a registered nurse. Once students have taken and passed the NCLEX-RN, they are eligible to seek employment opportunities that will build knowledge in forensic nursing practice.
Many students also pursue Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner certifications to develop a more defined pathway to the forensic nursing designation.
Forensic Nursing Skills
At the foundational level, forensic nurses possess several hard skills that are essential to any nursing specialization, like:
- Conducting patient assessment and pre-examinations
- Checking and recording vital signs
- Giving injections
- Supporting physicians with in-depth exams and treatments
- Utilizing medical terminology
- Patient transport
Their specialist skills include:
- Evidence collection and preservation: Knowledge of proper techniques for collecting, handling and preserving forensic evidence, ensuring its admissibility in legal proceedings.
- Trauma-informed care: Understanding of trauma-informed practices to provide sensitive and supportive care to survivors of violence or trauma.
- Legal and ethical understanding: Familiarity with laws, regulations and protocols related to forensic nursing, including patient confidentiality, chain of custody procedures and reporting requirements for suspected abuse or violence.
Aside from work that requires hard skills and hands-on techniques, forensic nurses provide care that focuses more on social and community partnerships to aid and support the continued recovery of their patients.
With an approach centered on humanistic values, forensic nurses must have the following soft skills:
- Communication
- Time management
- Collaborative efforts
- Adaptability
- Critical thinking
- Attention to detail
- Empathy
These skills combine to give forensic nurses the right expertise and attributes needed to work across other closely related sub-specialties. Some of these include:
- Forensic gerontology specialist
- Forensic psychiatric nursing
- Forensic nurse investigation
- Nurse coroners
- Legal nurse consultants
- Correctional nursing specialists
Get the Right Education to Become a Forensic Nurse
Duquesne University is here to help aspiring forensic nurses get the education they need to pursue a career in this rewarding profession.
With convenient, comprehensive curricula and highly qualified instructors, Duquesne University offers students excellence in academic preparation and training to achieve continued success in the forensic nursing field.
Explore our forensic nursing programs to learn more today.