As a nurse practitioner, I love working in the unique niche area of forensic nursing. This specialised area allows me to apply clinical nursing skills alongside forensic science principles for patients who experience acute and potentially long-term consequences associated with violence, particularly after sexual assault and or domestic violence assault.
This role balances my passion for delivering patient-centred care and advocacy for vulnerable people. It allows me to provide options, educate and promote recovery for individuals following a crime committed against them.
Globally, violence poses a profound public health challenge, as evidenced by recent statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the latest victims of crimes report highlighting a concerning surge in sexual assault cases, reaching a 31-year high in 2023 with 36,318 reported victims nationwide.1 This issue transcends demographics and socioeconomic boundaries, impacting diverse groups such as individuals with disabilities, the elderly, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, culturally and linguistically diverse populations, women, children, people impacted by mental health, incarcerated individuals, and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Given the prevalence and complexity of these issues, I believe forensic nursing should be integrated as a core subject within all nursing courses. Nurses need education regarding forensic issues that impact patients of violence, as these are the patients, we are all seeing daily in emergency departments, community settings or GP clinics. As health professionals when someone attends hospital inadvertently, we compromise evidence on victims or offenders all the time without even realising it. Forensic nurses are well placed within an emergency department as with a little bit of knowledge you can give great care and at the same time have the know-how to preserve evidence. This would ensure that the patient/victim would receive adequate healthcare, and nurses would understand the importance of comprehensive documentation, taking photographs, handling clothing, and collecting evidence in various ways from the patient, which could ultimately assist in future legal proceedings.
My personal journey into forensic nursing began with pivotal experiences in 2002 when I attended a conference called ‘courts, coroners and corpses’ and the International Forensic Nursing Conference ‘A Kaleidoscope of Nursing Practice’. My attention was captured, and passion was sparked. I followed this up with a graduate forensic nursing university course in 2003, courses such as these were still in their infancy at the time in Australia. However, once finished there was nowhere to go with my newfound skills. I was told that I would never work with sexual assault victims unless I was a social worker or a doctor, as it just wasn’t a nursing role. I disagreed! I pursued this work despite these challenges and sought further education and networking internationally. I can now happily say, I work with these patients every day as an Interpersonal Violence Forensic Nurse Practitioner.
Historically, healthcare responses to assault survivors have sometimes fallen short of expectations, particularly regarding psychological support. Adopting a trauma-informed approach is crucial, starting with believing and validating the survivor’s experience. Always start by believing, and letting the patient know you believe what they say, regardless of your personal thoughts. Keep personal biases and myths to yourself, explain your role and its limitations and be transparent. Provide the person space to talk, and ensure they are comfortable and in a private space (EDs are not very private spaces at times). Provide them with options and choices but don’t make decisions for them – this gives them some power back. It is crucial a good first response is provided as it helps promote recovery. You don’t have to be a counsellor; the first response is more about containing the situation.
Despite the pivotal role nurses play, there remains a significant gap in Australia regarding forensic nursing policy, education standards, credentialing, and professional recognition compared to our international counterparts. This is why courses such as the Monash University ‘Recognising and Responding to Sexual Violence in Adults’ exemplify essential steps towards filling these gaps, empowering healthcare professionals to effectively respond to and support adult survivors of sexual violence.
As frontline healthcare providers, nurses are uniquely positioned to lead in the care of assault survivors, provided they receive the necessary training and support. I am privileged to contribute to the growth of this specialty and to educate fellow nurses about the pivotal role of forensic nursing in bridging healthcare and justice. Integrating forensic nursing into nursing education and practice is imperative for ensuring comprehensive care and support for survivors of violence. By enhancing forensic nursing capabilities, we can better serve our communities and empower survivors on their path to recovery and justice.
If you would like to complete FREE CPD training in Recognising and Responding to Sexual Violence in Adults, Monash University offers a 3-unit course delivered both online and face-to-face. Funded by the Commonwealth Department of Social Services under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.
For more information: https://www.monash.edu/medicine/sphpm/study/professional-education/responding-to-sexual-violence
Reference
1 Australian Bureau of Statistics. Recorded Crime – Victims. National statistics about victims of a range of personal, household and family and domestic violence offences as recorded by police 2023. Accessed July 22 2024. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/crime-and-justice/recorded-crime-victims/latest-release#data-downloads
