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Monday, July 12th, 2010 Subscribe To Our Feed
One thing that’s certain, and that’s law enforcement can’t rest on its laurels. It must constantly strive to be one step ahead of the criminal. This has lead to a field that was virtually unheard of barely a generation ago, forensic nursing, and government grants are rising to meet this growing need.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines a forensic nurse as a Registered Nurse (RN) who cares for crime victims. This means looking at the ugliest side of human nature. So having a cast iron stomach is part of the professional C.V. as they must aide victims of car accidents, rape, brutality and/or abuse and neglect and still be professional about it. . While they are at it, they must also be on the lookout for evidence that enables their colleagues to capture the criminal. They are also at the call of forensic pathologists for autopsies and can be called into court to testify on medical findings and evidence collected.
Because of the nature of their field, they work as often for a law enforcement agency as they could work for a hospital or clinic. Some forensic nurses find positions with non-profit organizations that offer affordable medical care for victims of crimes. A few also work for lawyers, particularly in case preparation. Some also teach the specialty.
As a relatively new profession, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is still studying it and hasn’t given forensic nursing its own page. More on the career can be gleaned from the Bureau’s pages on registered nursing and the growing forensics field. The American Association of College Nurses have also put together more as well.
For starters, the demand for forensic nurses is exceedingly higher than the national average. The Bureau states the need for the forensics field in general is 31% over the next decade, and believes the need for these kinds of specialized nurses is about the same. The key drawback of this demand is the greatest need for nurses is in high crime areas. For the record, the Bureau estimates the growth rate for all occupations is approximately 10% to 12%. They also say that being the average wage of a RN is in the mid-to-high 50’s, the salary of a forensic nurse is pretty much the same.
If one is interested in becoming a forensic nurse, the process is pretty much the same as becoming an RN. That is a high school student will look for a good financial aid, online or on campus, and initially go for a four year program aiming for a B.S. in Nursing. The nurse must also get her RN certification.
Where the paths really part is when nurses move on to their post-grad work. Forensic nurses have to study criminal justice, law and forensic science as part of their core. Considering they usually do this while holding down a regular job, a lot of them take their courses online. This way they can maintain work, study and a home life more easily.
It may be a cynical way to look at things, but as long as there is crime, there will be a need for forensic nurses and the nursing schools who provide the education. At the same time, it should be remembered they are helping the living victims as much as the criminologist. For that, they become a truly needed profession. Aspiring nurses, no matter which aspect of the field they wish to enter, should be sure to seek out money for college for online college to facilitate their careers.
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