Archive for the ‘forensic nursing’ tag
What is forensic nursing?
Forensic nursing is one of the many specialized fields in the nursing profession. It is a relatively new addition to the wide scope of career opportunities in the field of nursing where the aspects of justice and health are entwined.
The concept of forensic nursing was first introduced in the University of Texas after Virginia Lynch, a renowned medico-legal death investigator proposed this new concept as a course for study in 1986.
This course is not meant for new students aspiring to take up nursing career. A qualified nurse can take up this specialized subject and get a master’s degree in this subject. Under this specialized subject, nurses are called for in investigating cases involving death or trauma caused as a result of criminal activity, accident, and/ or abuse.
The role of a forensic nurse is a very challenging and interesting one. The nurse should not only take care of the patient. In this case, it is the responsibility of the forensic nurse to act as a conduit or a vital link between the justice system, especially the criminal justice, and the medical profession.
The forensic nurse is called upon to treat the victims of crime, most probably in the area where the crime took place. The forensic nurse should not stop with mere treatment to the victims affected in the crime, but also do some investigations in the area as a detective and help the local police authorities in nabbing the culprits.
It is quite natural that in an area of conflict or crime, some criminals also get injured and might be in need of treatment. Hence, the possibility of injured criminals also visiting the nearby hospital for attention and cure is more. That is the reason, in most cases, forensic nurse is predominantly posted in the emergency section of the hospital as their presence is very essential there.
The forensic nurse might have to deal with complex situations. It is not just investigating and assisting police and other people with regard to identification of criminals. Abuses and the resultant trauma might warrant the services of a forensic nurse.
There are many sub-divisions and more specialized courses within the career of forensic nursing. For the investigative mind and curiosity to unearth the truth, forensic nursing can be an ideal specialized profession, where the remuneration is also relatively high. A qualified forensic nurture may demand anywhere between $25 per hour to as much as $100 per hour.
