A forensic nursing degree trains nurses with the skills they need for this uncommon nursing specialization. With this degree, many nurses advance their careers and earning potential.
One of the many joys of working in nursing is that the field is incredibly diverse. Nurses can choose to work in many varied types of settings. They can also choose to follow different kinds of career paths. A nurse may decide she wants to work in pediatrics, surgery, or with older patients.
One area of nursing that has gained popularity in the last few years is forensic nursing. Of all the many possible pathways to nursing, this is easily the fastest-growing specialty.
What Can You Do with a Forensic Nursing Degree?
Forensic nurses train to work with people who have suffered some form of trauma. Many areas of nursing practice have a need for these specialized nurses.
A person with a forensic nursing degree can find employment in many areas of nursing. These include correctional facilities, law offices, and places that have suffered some kind of unexpected natural disaster. Additionally, these forensic nurses earn more than the average nurse.
Correctional Facilities
Correctional facilities are also called jails or prisons. These facilities isolate individuals who may pose a danger to themselves or to others. A forensic nurse may be present in a correctional facility to help people who experienced trauma.
For example, violence in prisons today, while extremely preventable, is sadly very common. Attacks by one inmate against another inmate happen when guards are not diligent or professional. Forensic nurses are often called into prisons for crimes committed inside. Additionally, they help in ongoing cases of abuse, where victims end up in prison.
Emergency Rooms
Emergency rooms are a resource that people turn to when it comes to finding ways to get help in the aftermath of a medical issue. A rape survivor may be brought to the emergency room to get help after an attack. In the aftermath of any kind of violent incident, it is imperative that all those who need such help get it from someone who is qualified to help them emerge from such problems.
The forensic nurse, who may have received a Bachelor’s in Forensic Science degree is someone who can step up and help with this process and provide people with the care they need in the event of a sudden and unexpected medical trauma that was criminal in nature.
Law Offices
The practice of law is varied and diverse. Lawyers engage in all kinds of tasks over the course of their work. A lawyer needs someone who understands the world of medicine and reporting medical crimes. Forensic nurses who work directly with the law can help them bridge that gap. Since forensic nurses have been trained to help provide assistance to people who are unfamiliar with many aspects of the medical field, they can help provide legal teams with the medical information they need to win cases.
A lawyer who works in the field of criminal defense or assists those who have been victims of crime may need someone on their side while they are interviewing a client to find out exactly what happened. At the same time, such questions need to be asked carefully and thoughtfully. The last thing the lawyer wants to do is to hurt the client or cause them to revisit the trauma they have suffered again. A forensic nurse can step into that gap. They know how to solicit testimony that might be of use to the case without creating problems for the person who has suffered some form of injury. The nurse may be part of the staff or might be called when needed on a part-time basis by the law firm.
Psychiatric Wards
Psychiatric wards are where people go to get help for mental health issues. In many instances, those who are facing such issues risk those problems being made worse when the medical team is not trauma-informed. They may have experienced trauma as children by caregivers or as adults by people who were supposed to supervise them. This can make it hard for them to receive the full benefits of treatment from an authority like a doctor. Medical professionals who are trauma-informed, like forensic nurses, are trained to help not make things worse accidentally.
A forensic nurse can be on hand to help them deal with this issue and can make sure that any given treatment is effective. Nurses who specialize in this field are there to help doctors make sure that any treatment administered to the patients has a higher chance of success in the long term. In doing so, they can serve as a vitally important link between the needs of the patients and anyone administering treatments.
Travel Nursing
National disasters are common in many parts of the world. After a natural disaster, it is crucial that all those who are victimized by any kind of event have the care they need to help them cope with the issues they may be facing once the danger has passed. In extreme cases, many of the medical professionals in that area are also indisposed.
A travel nurse is someone who works with agencies that hire nurses and send them where they are most needed. They can work with a travel nursing agency that will send them to places in the aftermath of a natural disaster or in a place where there is a severe nursing shortage. This is a good opportunity for forensic nurses to use their skills in a way that benefits patients. It is also a useful way for the travel nurse to increase their own skills in a real-world
University Positions
Anyone who is planning to enter the nursing profession will need to learn which field of nursing is best in line with their professional goals. A university position is an ideal fit for a forensic nurse who is inclined toward teaching. Passing on the life-saving and justice-seeking skills that forensic nurses administer every day is vital to society as we know it.
Forensic nursing instructors can teach others what they need to know to help people work with victims of violence or those who have perpetuated it. There are many online Nursing programs, as well as online Education programs available. Both would be a great first step toward becoming a nursing instructor at the university level.
Programs that offer forensic nursing degrees need skilled instructors who know the field well. A forensic nurse can teach part-time and also work as a staff nurse in another setting. Teaching is a great joy for many people who want to share knowledge from their nursing careers.
Related:
- Top 10 Forensic Nursing Programs
- 10 Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs
- Top 10 Online Master’s in Nursing
- What Can I Do With a Master’s in Nursing Degree?
- Nursing Degrees Guide
- 10 Top Online DNP Programs
- What Can I Do With a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)?