Nursing Role & Environment

The forensic nurse works with clients charged with or convicted of a crime or those being evaluated for the potential of (re)committing a crime. The nurse must remain calm, objective, neutral and detached while incorporating an investigative aspect into the therapeutic relationship that is not common in other areas of nursing (Lyons, 2009). The forensic nurse is responsible for initial mental health assessments  and forensic risk assessments (Lyons, 2009). Competencies include security, crisis de-escalation, interpersonal communication, self reflection, clinical understanding of disordered thinking and behvaiour, and knowledge of criminal justice and mental health systems (Lyons, 2009).

The forensic nurse would respond to the location of a death and determine details or events leading to the death through the collection of medical, psychological, and social history, forensic samples from the body and biohazardous samples from the scene (Drake & Burton, 2022). The nurse is specially trained in evidence collection and interviewing family, friends, and witnesses to gain accurate information without further trauma (Drake & Burton, 2022). Using the scene, interviews, investigation, autopsy and toxicology reports the nurse collaborates with law and medical personnel to determine cause and manner of death (Drake & Burton, 2022).