A historical perspective
Nurses have informally worked in the forensic nursing science for over 100 years. Prior to nursing as a discipline midwives were following up sexual assaults with examinations as well as collecting evidence as serving the courts through opinions (McDonald, 2012). The first official documentation of this was in the 14th century when virginity checks were performed by midwives for kings’ wives before marriage. In the 19th century, Florence Nightingale provided care of war victims through an early concept of forensic nursing. In the 20th century, the Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. John Butt, in Alberta, Canada brought about the forensic nurse examiner in investigations post mortem (McDonald, 2012).
In 1948 the American Academy of Forensic Science (AAFS) was created, and recognized forensic nursing for the first time as a scientific discipline (McDonald, 2012).
In the 1970’s, nurses were the ones to recognize the needs of victims of sexual assault and how diverse and unique they were (McDonald, 2012). This led to the program entitled Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) as well as initiation of Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs). In 1977 the founding member of the IAFN, Dr. Ledray established a Sexual Assault Resource Service (SARS) in Minnesota. In 1988, after the Surgeon General of the United States declared violence a health issue, IAFN founding member Colleen O’Brien was the first to develop a SANE program in Wisconsin, and from here another founding member, Jamie Ferrell spread the program to Texas (McDonald, 2012). Patricia Speck was a family nurse practitioner who was also on the forefront of forensic nursing through her work with victims of sexual assault and research in rape trauma. These four individuals, along with others in the area began the spread of SANE programs and a wealth of knowledge to the initial meetings helping the evolution (McDonald, 2012).
The International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) started in 1992 with 70 nurses from the United States and Canada in order to develop practice in Forensic nursing throughout the world. Most of the nurses involved at this time were involved in sexual assault (SANE), however wanted all human violence to be central to the IAFN (McDonald, 2012). In 1995 forensic nursing was first recognized by the American Nurses Association (ANA) as a nursing specialty and in 1997 the IAFN and ANA worked together to create and publish the first Scope and Standards of forensic nursing, this is when forensic nursing truly began. The national standards were published in 1997 and updated most recently in 2011 (McDonald, 2012).
The Forensic Nursing Certification Board (FNCB) now offers two certification programs to act as credentials in the area in order to satisfy a knowledge base, nursing process, and skill in the practice setting. The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner –Adult/Adolescent and the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Pediatric (McDonald, 2012).
In the last decade, forensic nursing has developed into a high profile nursing profession, and has evolved into collection of forensic evidence, sexual assault examination, identification of abuse as well as reporting, investigation of deaths, mental health evaluations, as well as expert testimony (McDonald, 2012).
In 1948 the American Academy of Forensic Science (AAFS) was created, and recognized forensic nursing for the first time as a scientific discipline (McDonald, 2012).
In the 1970’s, nurses were the ones to recognize the needs of victims of sexual assault and how diverse and unique they were (McDonald, 2012). This led to the program entitled Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) as well as initiation of Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs). In 1977 the founding member of the IAFN, Dr. Ledray established a Sexual Assault Resource Service (SARS) in Minnesota. In 1988, after the Surgeon General of the United States declared violence a health issue, IAFN founding member Colleen O’Brien was the first to develop a SANE program in Wisconsin, and from here another founding member, Jamie Ferrell spread the program to Texas (McDonald, 2012). Patricia Speck was a family nurse practitioner who was also on the forefront of forensic nursing through her work with victims of sexual assault and research in rape trauma. These four individuals, along with others in the area began the spread of SANE programs and a wealth of knowledge to the initial meetings helping the evolution (McDonald, 2012).
The International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) started in 1992 with 70 nurses from the United States and Canada in order to develop practice in Forensic nursing throughout the world. Most of the nurses involved at this time were involved in sexual assault (SANE), however wanted all human violence to be central to the IAFN (McDonald, 2012). In 1995 forensic nursing was first recognized by the American Nurses Association (ANA) as a nursing specialty and in 1997 the IAFN and ANA worked together to create and publish the first Scope and Standards of forensic nursing, this is when forensic nursing truly began. The national standards were published in 1997 and updated most recently in 2011 (McDonald, 2012).
The Forensic Nursing Certification Board (FNCB) now offers two certification programs to act as credentials in the area in order to satisfy a knowledge base, nursing process, and skill in the practice setting. The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner –Adult/Adolescent and the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Pediatric (McDonald, 2012).
In the last decade, forensic nursing has developed into a high profile nursing profession, and has evolved into collection of forensic evidence, sexual assault examination, identification of abuse as well as reporting, investigation of deaths, mental health evaluations, as well as expert testimony (McDonald, 2012).
References
Lynch, Virginia A. (2005) Forensic nursing science. In R. M. Hammer, B. Moynihan & E. M. Pagliaro (Eds.), Forensic nursing. (1-40). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Barlett Publishers.
McDonald, S. (2012). The First Twenty Years: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the International Association of Forensic Nurses. On The Edge, 18(2), 1.
McDonald, S. (2012). The First Twenty Years: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the International Association of Forensic Nurses. On The Edge, 18(2), 1.
