Nursing has been continuously evolving through the years, branching out into different fields under the umbrella of the health care delivery system. One of the emerging specializations in the profession of nursing is forensic nursing. Forensic nursing careers go beyond the traditional nursing confines of the hospital: Nurses are trained with curricula in law enforcement and criminal investigation. As a forensic nurse, you will have to deal with victims of violent crime, work as clinical detectives, or even do a little bit of crime scene investigation. You can begin training for this career from day one - as you're earning your degree from an online nursing school, you can begin to work toward specialization in this exciting field.
If this medical job interests you, here is some additional forensic nursing career information to consider:
- What will I do as a forensic nurse? The job overview of a forensic nurse is to be able to recognize, collect and preserve evidence, while all the while treating the medical condition of the patient. You will have to be able to gather all the possible information that will be useful to the resolution of the case while performing the duties of a nurse; a difficult task in the usually fast-paced environment of crimes. You will also be critically involved with other members of hospital staff in documenting the evidence and injuries.The majority of forensic nurses are accredited as Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs). They are tasked with the delicate and sensitive responsibility of collecting all evidence, but at the same time, providing comfort and reassurance while treating the emotional needs of the patient. Since evidence is limited by time, you will have to learn how to gather everything within the 72 hour window. Sexual crimes and crimes of abuse are also often hidden by the victims and perpetrators: You will have to learn to read between the lines, and watch out for non-verbal and visual cues which point to these.
- What else can I do as a forensic nurse? Forensic nursing jobs are not stagnant. It is more than a specialization in nursing: This track offers further subspecializations into fields of your choice. These include the following
- Correctional nursing
- Sexual assault nursing
- Gerontology specialization
- Nurse coroner or death investigation
- Legal nurse consulting
- Community education
You will normally practice in a hospital setting, and this will usually be based in the emergency room (ER) setting.
- How do I become a forensic nurse? You will first have to finish your nursing degree and become a registered nurse (RN). After you do so, you should also complete a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to pursue further studies and to specialize in the fields of your choice.Experience is necessary for you to achieve accreditation as a SANE nurse. There is a minimum of two years required work experience, as well as a MSN. There will be other forensic nursing programs and training courses that will equip you with the skills to handle evidence and data collection, as well as emotional support of sexual assault victims. The course training is similar for other subspecializations of forensic nursing.
- How much will I earn? After your years of training, you can earn up to $26 per hour as a forensic nurse, but this has regional variation as well. According to some, you can stand to earn up to $100 an hour in certain institutions, depending on your geographic location and subspecialization of choice. Forensic nursing salary differs from one institution to another: You can also be paid per case instead of per hour.
Urban hospitals provide greater income than rural hospitals for a forensic nurse. In order to maximize your income, you should go for the maximum attainable specialization: There is a direct link between the level of your education and the wages you can demand. You can also work independently for investigation agencies, or law firms; however, this is best done after you have established your name and credibility as a forensic nurse.