How Do I Become a Forensic Nurse/Role of the Forensic Nurse

I have just found out that nurses play a role in forensics I was not aware of this, but this sounds interesting so far from the information you have provided do you have any schools in the los angeles area that I can check out in regards to the forensics program??

Thanks for this thread...forensic nursing is one of the areas I'm interested in later in my career. I'm starting an online BSN program next year and would like to continue my education after that. Not too many people even know that forensic nursing is a specialty so it's great that this board exists.

I have been a labor and delivery nurse for 25 years and now I'm considering changing my specialty to forensic nursing. Do you have any advise as to how to make this change?

Studying nursing hasnt been easy for me so at one stage ,i courageously approached my father if i could shift my course to a different area...and when i said criminology...he just disapproved.
I dont understand it very much but it seems forensic nursing has got a bit to do with being an investigator if m not mistaken...
i wonder now,m 38...do u think its still worth seeking if i take an interest into pursuing this field?
opinions..u'r all welcome.
thanks

Would you need clinical experience to enter this field

To S-Rank,
Yes, you usually need one year of clinical experience to enter a SANE program. The requirements should be clearly spelled out when you ask about the program, or research education on this.
To sirI,
I've heard very good things about the Cali-Riverside program and some of my colleagues in Forensic Nursing have been certified there. IAFN is where i got my start and recommend it highly to anyone interested in this fascinating field.
To belot97,
You said you're 38 and asked if it's too late to start. NO way! If you were working on your last day before retiring, let's say, age 65, you're at triage, and a young woman presents herself at midnight wearing huge sunglasses, crying and says she fell all the way down the stairs two days ago. You notice she startles easily when you're getting the equipment out to take her vital signs. You recognize that her story doesn't match what you see and consider that this may be a domestic violence case.
What I'm trying to say is, that at any age, you STILL have the potential to make a vast difference in someone's life.

But to everyone who is interested in this field, EVERY area of nursing where you have patient contact is a potential for encountering forensic issues.

Let's take the woman who comes in at midnight wearing sunglasses and says she fell all the way down the stairs two days ago and startles easily at the slightest sound. What's wrong with this picture?
1. Sunglasses at midnight-why?
2. Delay in reporting-why?
3. She fell all the way down the stairs? Any other injuries consistent with this story? If not, do you consider that nobody falls all the way down the stairs and lands only on her eye.
4. Why is she coming in at midnight two days after her injury? Is it possibly the only time she could get away from the person who did this to her?
Let's take another example. someone here said they were an OB nurse. OK, how does that figure in forensic nursing?
20 weeks pregnant patient comes in bleeding severely and loses the baby. Upon questioning, she admits the father of the baby hit her in the abdomen, initiating the events that follow. Is this case recognized as a coroner's case becuse a traumatic event caused it to happen?How many times does this happen without being recognized as a domestic violence event?
Another example: You work in a well baby clinic and an infant comes in with a bite mark on her arm. You ask the mother about it and she says the 2 year old older brother did this while playing, but you take a closer look and the bite mark appears much wider than that of a 2 year old. What do you do?
Does anyone see how we can make a difference at any age in any nursing arena and not JUST sexaul assault?
I am a Forensic Nurse. My specialties are wound identification, evidence collection, death investigation and domestic violence. I work as a Legal Nurse Consultant, and see that sirI is also an LNC. sirI, What area of LNC do you specialize in?
I've been reading these forums from afar and will try to be more active but sirI, you are doing a great job here! Let's keep the positive flow of information going. With my dying breath, if I could help one person in the whole wide world, I would do it. Wouldn't you? Every day, we are reminded of how we make a difference in the world!
I read on another forum that a poster called Cajnet was going to do a forensic seminar in 2004. I never saw anything else on that. Did he ever do it?
Thanks for letting me be here and adding my 5 cents, cuz 2 cents doesn't get you anything anymore...(smile).
Good luck!
KC007