Home » Library » Nursing Careers » Forensic Nursing
Forensic nursing is an advanced practice of nursing that concerns criminal investigations and legal prosecutions. The duties of a forensic nurse include the collection and preservation of criminal evidence, medical treatment of victims of crime and medical treatment of prisoners. From law firms to prison systems, there are many different places in need of practicing forensic nurses.
A forensic nurse is a registered nurse (RN) who has advanced training in forensic medicine. This could come in the form of a graduate degree or certification program. Forensic nurses are tasked with both hands-on medical treatment as well as investigative work. Also, a forensic nurse can be called forth to testify as an expert in a legal proceeding. The latter can earn a forensic nurse over $150 per hour.
There are common specialized fields within forensic nursing, such as that of a sexual assault nurse examiner, correctional nurse, forensic nurse investigator and more. Recently, forensic medicine has become a very popular subject in film and television programs. This has brought more attention to the practice of forensic nursing, which is a positive thing. With the United States currently experiencing a shortage of nurses, perhaps this newfound popularity will encourage more promising students and nurses to begin the practice of forensic nursing.