APFNS in Practice

Practice Characteristics
Forensic nurses fill various roles that include primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of violence and trauma across the lifespan, across settings, and from local to global levels.

Examples of forensic nursing roles include, but are not limited to:

• sexual assault nurse examiner
• forensic nurse examiner
• medical and/or death investigator
• investigators of suspected abuse and/or neglect of children and/or vulnerable adults
• corrections nursing
• psychiatric/mental health forensic nursing
• nurse coroners
• legal nurse consultants

In addition, forensic nurses may carve out unique roles with:

• injury prevention (e.g. gun violence, drunk driving, traumatic brain injury)
• suicide prevention
• disaster (natural or manmade) preparedness and response
• international law and human rights violations
• issues around human trafficking
• cold case homicide reviews
• workplace violence prevention and investigation

Forensic nurses have special education in various aspects of the law, as well as develop expertise in forensic interviewing, evidence collection and preservation, fact-based and expert witness testimony, documentation and photodocumentation, and mechanisms of injury. Adding to the body of knowledge through forensic nursing research is also important for this relatively new specialty area in nursing, as is the development of educators of forensic nursing.