Overview: Forensic nurses work with law enforcement officials as well as perpetrators and victims of crime. The specialty includes death investigators, correctional nurses, nurse attorneys, domestic violence specialists, human rights advocates and sexual assault nurse examiners. Duties may include collection of clinical evidence, determination of origin or circumstances of trauma, evaluation and alleviation of crime victims’ injuries and rehabilitation of criminals.

Typical venues: correctional facilities, community health centers, psychiatric facilities, hospitals, public health departments, law firms

Education: active RN licensure

Job outlook: Nursing as a whole will be one of the top 10 fastest growing professions in the United States in the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Opportunities: As the incidence of violent crime increases, the need for forensic nurses expands as well.

Challenges: danger in working with violent offenders

For more information:

International Association of Forensic Nurses
East Holly Ave., Box 56
Pitman, N.J. 08071-0056
Phone: (856) 256-2425
Fax: (856) 589-7463

www.forensicnurse.org

Related features on the NurseWeek Web site:

Safe and SANE: Forensic nurses gather evidence to aid sexual assault survivors
http://www.nurseweek.com/news/features/00-06/sane.html

Mail order and online continuing education courses http://www.nurseweek.com/career/homstudy.html)

Salary Wizard (http://www.nurseweek.com/salary/index.html)

Job Search (http://www.nurseweek.com/jobs/jobsearch.asp)