What is a forensic nurse? A forensic nurse provides specialized care to an unique population of patients who have experienced some type of abuse. The victims who endure abuse (whether physical or sexual etc) depend on the skills of a forensic nurse to help care and comfort them in a dire time of need.
The psychological, social, and physical trauma that a victim endures during an assault and abuse requires special skills of a trained professional, such as a forensic nurse. A forensic nurse is very important to the anti-violence efforts of the world.
A forensic nurse has extensive knowledge in evidence collection and the legal system, providing expert medical testimony in court, and offering consultation services to the authorities.
The skill set of a forensic nurse also include documenting patient’s evidence, collection of evidence, evaluating the scope and nature of a patient’s injuries, and storage of physical and biological evidence. Forensic nurses most often work with patients who are victims of sexual assault.
There are many types of forensic nurses. The types of forensic nurses may include:
- elderly mistreatment
- domestic violence
- emergency services
- child abuse and neglect
- public and mental health
- death investigator
How to Become a Forensic Nurse
If you’ve been wondering “how do you become a forensic nurse?,” the process is similar to other types of nursing. Before earning a nursing degree, potential forensic nurses should educate themselves in the particular area of forensic nursing that they want to study, such as criminology, psychiatry, counseling, and general forensic nursing. Degree candidates should have a firm grasp of the depths of forensic nursing before pursing the degree.
Degree candidates must earn a degree from an accredited college or university in nursing. It is necessary to become a registered nurse before becoming a forensic nurse.
The degree can be earned through a nursing diploma program, an associate degree, or a bachelor’s degree in nursing. A passing score on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is necessary to receive a license in the practicing state.
The next step is to earn a specialty in an area of forensic nursing. A few of the options include correctional nursing expert, gerontology specialist, forensic psychiatric nurse, death investigator, forensic clinical nurse expert, and sexual assault examination. It is possible to take these courses through traditional campus courses or online courses.
It is also necessary to earn specialized certification that reflects the knowledge and expertise in a particular area of forensic nursing. A few of the associations that offer certification are the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) and the Forensic Nursing Certification Board (FNCB).
A few of the certifications offered include Sexual Assault Nurse Clinician (SANC), Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), Forensic Nurse Examiner (FNE), Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE), and Sexual Assault Examiner (SAE).
Forensic Nursing Requirements (Education)
There are many paths to earning a nursing degree to become a forensic nurse, but earning a bachelor’s degree or higher offers the greatest amount of opportunity. Most forensic nurses earn a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing before taking additional coursework to become a forensic nurse.
The additional courses may consist of: The Courtroom Experience, Forensic Approach to Mental Health Assessment, Clinical Ethics, Forensic Physical Assessment and Evidence Collection, Forensic Approaches to Human Abuse Injuries, Crisis Intervention, and the Planning and Implementation of Follow-Up Care. It is important to make sure that the courses are earned from an accredited college or university.
Forensic Nurse Salary
Forensic nurses are among the highest paid nurses in the field of nursing. The nurse salary for a forensic nurse can range from $30,205 to $133,750 annually, depending on the location, education, and experience.
In some settings, forensic nurses may make a minimum of $25 per hours, but in other locations they can make $50 to $300 per hour. The greatest opportunities for forensic nurses are in facilities that have a forensic nursing care unit.
Forensic Nurse Jobs Outlook
The outlook for a forensic nurse job has a great deal of promise. A forensic nurse helps to make a strong connection between medicine and law. The services of a forensic nurse are needed in every emergency room but the shortage of nurses does not make this possible.
A forensic nurse can work in a variety of setting, including schools, pediatrics, tissue and organ donation, corrections, and psychiatrics. Forensic nurses are in greater demand in areas with a high concentration of crime so the greatest opportunities are in these areas.
Becoming a travel nurse may increase the opportunities and income potential of a forensic nurse. The outlook for a forensic nurse is expected to continue to increase for the next 10 years and possibly many more years to come.
A forensic nurse provides vital care for patients of violent crimes. The moments following a violent crime may be extremely traumatic for the innocent victims who need specialized care. A forensic nurse must be highly knowledgeable in his or her specialization area to be an effective provider to the crime victims.