Forensic Nurse: A Nursing Career You May Not Know About

Are you interested in a nursing career, but not interested in the traditional doctor's office or routine hospital or nursing home work? Check out the programs for one of the newest, but rapidly expanding nursing careers, Forensic Nursing. find schools »

Forensic Nursing is not what you may think if your only reference point is the TV murder shows. Forensic nurses do not spend their days hovering over corpses or helping a coroner dissect a body in search of the cause of death. This career is a "living" nursing occupation. The term was introduced in 1992 when a group of nurses met at a national convention for "sexual assault nurses." The group soon realized that their duties often involved interaction between the medical profession and the legal professions, and that sexual assault was only one of the many kinds of cases they worked on. The International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) was born.

By 1998, the IAFN numbered 1500 members. Today their duties include examinations following sexual assault, care for victims of domestic violence, child and elder abuse, and emergency trauma. Forensic nurses may also work in a prison setting, tending to the medical needs of inmates, or they may counsel children in a school regarding the use of guns.

According to the Journal of Forensic Nursing, every hospital should have at least one forensic nurse on duty, especially in the emergency room. Emergency room personal are trained to clean and bandage wounds, but when crime is involved, the usual cleaning procedures could destroy important evidence. A forensic nurse on hand will know what to look for and what notes to take.

This type of nurse can also serve as a nurse consultant or as an attorney. One who is available as a consultant in a case involving any aspect of the law can also expect to earn a very high salary, especially if he/she is "on call" 24 hours a day.
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Currently, nurses do not need an advanced degree or special certificate to be forensic nurses although many states offer their own certification exams. Courses are available through many hospitals for nurses who are already a part of the staff. However, the American Nursing Association recognized it as a "subspecialty" in 1995, and the IAFN is working on a core curriculum. Once that is in place, certification requirements will follow. Many colleges are already offering courses in forensic nursing for nursing students who wish to pursue this rapidly growing branch of nursing.

While it is by no means the only option, some forensic nurses do work as death examiners. A person who has taken and passed a state test for forensic nursing can also expect to be called as a witness in court. For those who want to go beyond medicine, this field provides a means of serving people whose injuries go beyond the physical.