Forensic Nurses Week

Forensic Nurses Week — November 4-10, 2024

A Tribute to Forensic Nurses

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences designated Forensic Nursing Science as its 12th section during its 74th Annual Scientific Conference in Seattle, WA, in 2022. Forensic nursing science is impacting health care on a global basis. This recognition offers the ideal forum for global interdisciplinary collaboration with other professionals dedicated to health, human rights, and justice. It has made strides in improving forensic services for those who have been affected by human violence where legal issues intersect with health care. 

The forensic nurse is a specialist in forensic nursing science. Forensic nurses are initially prepared for their professional nursing role by education, licensure, degrees, experience, and certifications. They obtain further expertise in the forensic sciences to equip them for their mission in matters related to the violation of individual human rights. Forensic nurses are skilled in providing a rigorous assessment process during every patient encounter to detect physical and emotional signs that indicate the individual may have been victimized. They ensure that subtle indicators of forensic issues are not overlooked and are intent on documenting and preserving evidence pertinent to subsequent legal proceedings. Whatever the setting in which they practice, forensic nurses are dedicated to caring for the survivor and working within the medical-legal system to understand and modify human conditions that kindle and ignite the violent behavior of offenders. 

Forensic nursing practice involves working with other first responders during mass disasters, caring for the immediate needs of the injured, recording forensic details about deceased individuals and important factors associated with the scene. They search among the homeless and disenfranchised for clues regarding human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The forensic nurse is an extraordinary clinical investigator qualified by education, experience, and professional immersion into the health and justice fields that provide the basis for their credibility to serve as an expert witness in courts of law. They are recognized as primary experts in forensic care of sexual assault patients, rendering opinions about processes and standards of care.

During Forensic Nurses Week, we honor our nurses who are dedicated to seeking justice for those who have been silenced or no longer can speak for themselves. Devastating interpersonal crime, abuse sanctioned by governmental institutions or cultural norms, natural and human-caused disasters — all summon the knowledge, skills, and dedication of the forensic nurse. The protection of individual human rights is the ultimate goal of the forensic nurse scientist. This specialty will continue its work within the international community, ensuring positive survivor outcomes, supporting rehabilitation of offenders, and reducing the societal root causes of violence.