Forensic Nursing: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Program Overview

Forensic Nursing is an advanced, interdisciplinary field that integrates clinical nursing expertise with legal and scientific principles to address trauma, violence, and criminal justice issues. Professionals in this domain play a critical role in the identification, care, and advocacy for victims of abuse, assault, and other violent incidents, while also supporting legal proceedings through expert evidence and testimony.

• Advanced Physical Assessment: Develops specialized skills in evaluating trauma-related injuries, particularly in complex or sensitive cases involving sexual assault, child abuse, or elder mistreatment.
• Evidence Collection and Preservation: Focuses on the proper techniques for gathering, documenting, and safeguarding physical and biological evidence to maintain chain-of-custody integrity in legal investigations.
• Forensic Anthropology: Applies skeletal analysis and human identification methods to assist in the investigation of unidentified remains or mass casualty events.
• Legal Testimony: Prepares nurses to effectively communicate findings in court, ensuring that clinical and forensic data are presented clearly, accurately, and within legal standards.
• Medicolegal Investigation: Involves the systematic examination of injuries and medical records to determine the nature, timing, and cause of trauma in relation to criminal activity.
• Pathophysiology: Explores the biological mechanisms of disease and injury, enabling precise interpretation of how trauma affects the human body at a physiological level.
• Pathohistology: Studies tissue changes at the microscopic level to identify patterns of injury, disease progression, or substance-related damage in forensic contexts.
• Pharmacology: Examines the effects, interactions, and detection of drugs and toxins in forensic settings, particularly in cases involving overdose, drug-facilitated crimes, or substance abuse.
• Violence Prevention: Addresses the root causes of interpersonal violence and develops strategies to intervene early, reduce recurrence, and promote community safety through evidence-based practices.