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What Does a Forensic Nurse Do?

Crime scene investigation TV shows have popularized forensic science. In addition to lab technicians and fingerprint analysts, forensic nurses play an important role and treating and gathering evidence from victims of sexual assault, domestic abuse, and other violent crimes to be used in a court of law.

Forensic nurses aid investigations by:

• Properly collecting evidence left in or on the body
• Taking samples of tissue and blood
• Photographing and measuring wounds
• Collaborating with medical examiners
• Testifying at trials as a fact or expert witness

Education and Training Required to Become a Forensic Nurse

You must first be a licensed registered nurse (RN) to become a forensic nurse. Although there are no specific degree programs in forensic nursing, you can earn one of two professional credentials from the Forensic Nursing Certification Board (FNCB):

• Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner--Adolescent/Adult
• Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner--Pediatric

Online degree programs and continuing education classes are also a good way to specialize your skills in topics such as:

• Investigating suspicious deaths
• Forensic toxicology
• Dealing with patients with post-traumatic stress disorder

Typical Characteristics of a Forensic Nurse

Proficiency, compassion, and good physical health are required traits for any nurse. The ability to remain calm and clear-headed in the face of hostile situations and extreme mental and physical trauma are especially important qualities for a nurse specializing in forensics. You'll also have to be comfortable examining corpses.

High Demand for Forensic Nurses

Although it's a highly specialized field, due to increased crime and forensics technology, there are growing opportunities for work as a forensic nurse in:

• Correctional facilities and law enforcement agencies
• Psychiatric institutions
• Medical examiners' and coroners' offices
• Insurance companies
• Hospitals
• Private practice

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that nursing as an occupation should grow by 22 percent through 2018. Although the BLS does not provide specific data about forensic nurses, the median annual wage for RNs in the U.S. in 2008 was $62,450.