Forensic Nurses as Medical Examiners

[Artemis2.0]

I was wondering what the requirements for and the possibilities are for a Forensic Nurse to become a Medical Examiner or Coroner? It is my understanding that this career is usually held by doctors.

[KFoss]

I know this is a slightly older thread but I read it back when it was new. I just ran across it again and thought I would add Trumbull County Coroner this is a county near me and they have nurse death investigators. So not quite the ME but I would guess that they actually do more of the leg work and dealing with people, living and dead, again I am guessing...now I just have to figure out when those four are retiring and hope finishing my degrees coincides with an opening

[Heather_RN]

This is definitely a state by state thing...and even county by county. Here is a link to a county in Oregon that has the only Nurse Chief Deputy Medical Examiner. She is a also a SANE nurse and does state SANE stuff. I believe she has a masters or maybe a post bachelor type certificate...unsure which. The county I am from only uses law enforcement and a physician which is a huge bummer. I think this is still a very new field and as people retire nurses look more appealing.