Your Health Care Career: Forensic Nursing Programs |
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October 12, 2006
by AJ Fanter
aj.fanter@healthcare-programs.com
Healthcare Programs Columnist
As the field of healthcare expands with more patients and new technologies, there is is a growing need for qualified healthcare providers. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that healthcare careers will be plentiful in general, the demand for registered nurses is especially high.
In fact, the BLS reports that the need is particularly critical in some specialty areas. For example, there is a growing need for graduates of forensic nursing programs.
What Is Forensic Nursing?
According to Nurseweek, the term "forensic nursing" was first utilized in 1992 at a meeting about the challenges of being a sexual assault nurse. Since that time, many full-fledged forensic nursing education programs have been created. This highly specialized degree program turns out not only sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs), but it also prepares students for forensic nursing careers focused on domestic violence, child and elder abuse, and emergency trauma.
What Do Forensic Nurses Do?
The primary responsibility of forensic nurses is properly collecting forensic evidence in a healthcare setting, in manner that ensures it will stand up in a court of law. In addition, graduates of forensic nursing degree programs learn how to work with law enforcement and other members of the forensic team, as well as how to assist victims.
Where Do Forensic Nurses Work?
While most forensic nurses break into this field as SANEs, working in emergency rooms to gather evidence, those who have successfully completed a forensic nursing program can also go on to serve as legal nurse consultants and attorneys. Forensic nursing graduates may even perform death investigations.
While some of these unique health care careers are within hospitals and have set shifts, some forensic nurses prefer to work as independent contractors. This can put them on call 24 hours a day, but they generally receive higher pay.
If you are looking for a rewarding health care career that involves elements of criminal justice as well as patient care, maybe it's time to enroll in a forensic nursing program.
Sources:
About the Author
AJ Fanter is a freelance writer based in Reno, NV.
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