ADNs and forensic nursing.

I have an ADN and just last week completed SANE Basic Training. I will be working for a hospital-based program after completing more clinical time (pelvic exams) and a few additional components. Some of them are specific to my facility and others are recommended by the SANE program itself. The latter include observing a sexual assault trial, becoming familiar with the district attorney's office and law enforcement personnel, and visiting other SANE groups and crime labs.

SANE isn't for everyone. There is much about this kind of nursing that requires a strong stomach, a strong heart, and a boatload of determination. After a solid week of training, most of our group of 40-plus walked out of the seminar feeling drained but inspired.

You should be able to find out all kinds of information by Googling SANE.

I wish you the best in discovering the options available to you.

As of right now I am working towards my LPN. I should be graduating in December. After I get my LPN I intend to get my ADN and I'm very interested in forensic nursing.

I just read a post not too long ago that stated that in order to be a SANE you must have a BSN or an MSN. I thought that you just had to be an RN period for pretty much all areas of forensic nursing. So now I'm wondering, as an ADN, what areas of forensic nursing will be open to me? Thanks in advance!

~Z

Hi Lachrymologist,

One other thought comes to mind when I read your post. Once you get your RN, and assuming you are still interested in forensic nursing (SANE and otherwise) and you are doing your interviews at hospitals, find out what they know of forensic nursing and how supportive they would be of you pursuing this field. Regardless of what area you choose, the training will cost money and some hospitals/agencies would be willing to pay for education, testing, and are supportive in general - others are not and would not.

If you do SANE training, keep all your original signatures and sign-offs, and who your instructors are. I just passed my Board Certification as a SANE-A and I had to track down my instructors who validated me so they could sign my application to take the exam (which cost more than $200 to take). The certification exam is about as difficult as nursing boards; 4 hrs was allotted for taking it (it took me 3 hrs) and I had 176 questions to answer. Most of them were scenario based and required more than a surface understanding of sexual assault and involved critical thinking.

There are other areas of forensic nursing, and it would be helpful to you to be able to relocate to another area of the country, if necessary. The economic situation is also taking its toll on this area of nursing: although I work in an ED where I am a SANE nurse and I do use forensic nursing, I had been hired as a per diem forensic nurse in another hospital. Last week I got a formal lay-off notice, as did the others who were forensic nurses there, due to a fiscal deficit.

So, go into this field with eyes wide open, research it all you can, and network as much as you can. Best of luck to you.

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone knew if it was possible to become a Forensic nurse with just an Associates RN degree?

Thanks in advance!

The only requirement to sit for your SANE-A is to be a registered nurse for 2 years. Doesn't matter in what specialty.

If you haven't visted www.IAFN.org that is the best for training. I would avoid Kaplan and those other big name programs. They are way to expensive. On the IAFN website they are listed by state. You want sexual assaults for adolescent and adults. They are taught by actual nurse examiners in the hospital. They usually only charge $500-800 per class. It is 60 hours classroom and 110 clinical give or take.

Good Luck!!!

I'm a SANE-A, and I am also an associate's degree nurse. All you have to do is take a 40 hr. course. ASN or BSN doesn't matter.

What do you want to do as a forensic nurse? Crime scene, death investigation, legal nurse consultanting?

You don't need an advanced degree to work as a forensic nurse. You already have evidence collection and photography skills. I did find a Master's in forensic nursing at the University of Florida. It is all online and very reasonably priced when compared to other programs.

The question is who will pay you as a forensic nurse? What kind of clients are you wanting to attract or work for?

There are a couple of programs where you can get a forensic certificate without a bachelor's degree.