The aim of this study was to explore forensic nursing knowledge as a specialty area of study, and factors influencing its educational development. A purposeful sample of nurse educators who had established some of the earliest forensic nursing programs in North America were sought for their perspective to answer predominantly qualitative questions. Unexpected findings from this study resulted in the concept of forensic nursing being described, differentiated, and defined. Since the inception of forensic nursing, numerous definitions have been written to articulate the knowledge of the specialty. The constructed definitions of forensic nursing from this study not only validated prior definitions developed by individuals and associations by nonresearchable methods, but also led to a discussion of what concepts are important to include in definitions of forensic nursing.
Accessible summary The importance of this paper's findings are: Forensic nursing is a nursing specialty with subspecialties that focus on nursing practice who care for victims and offenders, living and deceased at the clinical legal interface. The gaps identified in the literature indicate where educational development did not occur concurrently with role development of forensic nursing. Role development occurred ahead of educational development for all subspecialty areas of forensic nursing except sexual assault nurse examiners, where it developed simultaneously. Forensic nursing formal education did not develop sooner as infrastructures were not in place to support it. Abstract The forensic area of practice has been a popular career choice and area of study for many of the health science disciplines. Forensic nursing is a nursing specialty with subspecialties that focus on nursing practice who care for victims and offenders, living and deceased at the clinical legal interface. This integrated review of the literature overviewed the historical development of each of the forensic nursing subspecialties and identified gaps in specialty nursing educational development. Although multiple studies for the last 30 years identified the need for forensic nursing education, recommendations did not soon translate into educational curriculum development. The literature showed that role development was not concurrent with educational development in all forensic nursing subspecialties.
The purpose of the study was to explore forensic nursing knowledge as a specialty area of study, and factors influencing educational development,as perceived by nurse educators who were instrumental in establishing some of the earliest forensic nursing courses or programs. This predominantly qualitative study involved interviewing a purposive sample of nurse educators from Canada and the United States. Data collection involved an email survey to collect demographic information about the educators and course statistics about the programs they created, in addition to a qualitative, semi-structured telephone interview. A thematic analysis and a constructivist worldview was utilized to analyze the data and comparisons were made to the relevant literature One result of this study was a definition of forensic nursing constructed from the data and compared to earlier definitions in the literature. A further differentiation of forensic nursing determined knowledge that was different from nursing in general, and different from other forensic disciplines, a distinction that has significance for interprofessional education.
Abstract
The silent pandemic that rages simultaneously behind the scenes of the COVID-19 is intimate partner violence (IPV). Intimate partner violence occurs when one partner uses abusive behavior to control or harm the other partner in the relationship. Due to public health orders including the stay-at-home initiated in response to the pandemic from March 2020 IPV incidents have increased. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to review the current literature that evaluates the impact that the COVID-19 public health orders have had on the IPV victims during the pandemic. Research Question:How have IPV victims been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? Method: A targeted literature review using PICO format (population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes) examines how IPV victims have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and factors associated with the increased rates of IPV. Results: Comparisons of pre-COVID-19 IPV rates to the rates of IPV during the pandemic reveal outcomes an elevated number of IPV numbers during the pandemic, particularly with the abuse that is more severe. Risk factors for the increased rate of IPV included financial factors, care giver burnout, stress and other factors are discussed. Implications: Health care professionals have a key role to play in helping IPV victims to access resources
Key words: COVID-19, novel corona virus, intimate partner violence, domestic violence, nursing
Forensic nursing is an emerging global nursing specialty, with subspecialties that focus on nursing practice at the clinical-legal interface of tending to victims and offenders, living and deceased. An integrated review of the literature provides an overview of the role development of forensic nursing subspecialties. The subspecialties of forensic nursing that deal with the mental health care of victims and offenders are the focus of this paper. Forensic nursing, like all forensic specialties, developed from a need in society for a medico-legal role. This paper discusses the global role of forensic nursing and argues that role development has been both proactive and responsive to vital needs of victims and offenders in society. Advanced practice forensic nurses have taken leadership roles in the role development of this nursing specialty. A future challenge for forensic psychiatric/mental health nurses with advanced education is to take leadership roles in all areas of psychiatric assessment, intervention, and evaluation of clients.
Domestic homicides shocked Calgary in 1995. As the year drew to a close, statistics revealed that 5 of the city's 18 murders were at the hands of an abusive spouse, former spouse, or boyfriend. This prompted women across the city to campaign for more protection for women. Press conferences were held in which Calgary's most prominent women's groups called for tougher action against violent offenders. With 1996 over the halfway mark, one case of spousal homicide has occurred. Although statistics are down from this time last year, it is an event that should not have occurred. Although public awareness and pressure led to more women's shelters and programs, these results were tertiary measures. This level of prevention deals with "after the crisis response" to the event and is reactive in its approach. Proactive or primary measures which reduce the risk of the problem starting are now being called for. Throughout history, health care professionals have been called upon to assist the legal system in the prosecution of cases where patient care overlaps with the law, or where the law and physiological realities collide. However not until recently have nurses had the opportunity to study within the field in a formal, organized manner (Lynch, 1995). The shift toward community-based rather than institutional care brings health care professionals in direct contact with cases of abuse and neglect in their natural settings. Early warning signs and symptoms of interpersonal violence will go unreported until nurses are taught to include these in their observations. Nursing programs now prepare nurses for this new specialty practice. Although calls for changes to the restraining orders and greater police protection for women in volatile situations are perfectly understandable, no one pretends they are the answer. The solution begins with spreading the very basic understanding throughout society that women are not property to be exploited or targets for venting anger. To effect change, spousal abuse must be viewed as a primary health care issue that affects us all, as well as being a social and human rights issue. It would benefit our society to become as incensed over spousal abuse as we are over drunk driving. Spousal abuse is a criminal offense and should be treated as such. Ending spousal abuse will require a significant reevaluation of human relationships, a much decreased public tolerance of violence and its depiction, and economic and political conditions that promote equality and a greater ability to control one's own life, but not others (MacLeod, 1994). This analysis of Calgary's response to the domestic homicides of 1995 is a risk-management approach of how the city dealt with this critical problem. With a greater focus on risk management strategies, along with public education and a greater interface with law enforcement agencies, forensic nurses will help reduce the sequelae of human violence; specifically, the fatalities of spousal abuse.
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