Have you considered a career in forensic nursing? This nursing field combines healthcare and law enforcement in order for nurses to assist criminal investigations and victims of trauma.
Forensic nurses have to remain calm while working with victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, and other violent events. Their main duties are to provide physical and mental recovery to patients, gather crucial evidence, and testify in court if necessary.
Nurses working in correctional institutions are responsible for evaluating the mental state of offenders and determining the proper medications and therapy. There are numerous career opportunities for graduates with such a Master of Science degree.
Learn about the most popular career choices.
Correctional nursing specialist
A popular job opportunity for forensic nursing graduates is working as a correctional care nurse. These specialists work in challenging settings, such as correctional facilities and jails, providing health care to inmates and other types of detainees. Correctional nurses are in charge of performing not only routine but also emergency medical procedures behind prison walls. Visit this URL to learn more about twelve different types of prisons.
Moreover, these care providers perform intake exams, referring to the physical examinations individuals are supposed to undergo after being incarcerated. The purpose of these exams is to assess the health of detainees and check for chronic health problems. Correctional nurses are also expected to distribute daily medication to inmates with chronic conditions.
Additionally, these medical professionals provide treatment and monitoring to detainees with chronic health issues like high blood pressure and asthma. They are also part of the medical team responsible for providing inpatient care to injured and seriously ill inmates.
Forensic clinical nurse specialist
Another attractive job opportunity for MSN forensic nursing graduates is getting employed as forensic clinical nurse specialists. Their duties encompass not just patient care but education and consultation as well. Therefore, these clinical nurse specialists can work as researchers, consultants, expert clinicians, educators, as well as administrators. Their education and training are of vital importance in the treatment of victims of violence, collection of evidence, preservation and documentation of evidence, and court testimonies.
Furthermore, this type of career has gained popularity in recent times due to the increase in awareness related to providing proper treatment to victims of violence and sexual assaults. An increasing number of universities offer MSN forensic nursing programs, preparing students for the diverse roles of the forensic nurse. Besides caring for victims of domestic abuse and assaults, clinical nurse specialists take responsibility for collecting evidence in order for offenders to be prosecuted effectively.
Forensic gerontology specialist
Another career opportunity forensic nursing graduates are able to pursue after earning an MSN degree is working as gerontology specialists. The duties of these specialists include investigating the neglect and abuse of seniors. Nevertheless, identifying elder abuse is known to be challenging due to the fear of seniors to reveal the identity of the abusers.
Gerontology specialists are trained in recognizing signs of abuse even in the absence of outward signs. Once they identify abuse in seniors, they must gather, document, and report the evidence to the police. Consequently, forensic gerontology specialists often collaborate with social service agencies, the police, lawyers, etc.
As far as work environments are concerned, these medical professionals can work in healthcare facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, victim support centers, etc. Some of them are even employed by law enforcement agencies to provide assistance to the police department. Depending on the nature of the case, they might be asked to testify in court.
Forensic psychiatric nurse
Individuals having MSN degrees in forensic nursing can work as psychiatric nurses in correctional facilities and psychiatric institutions. Their job involves treating victims of assault and offenders with psychological disorders. The largest number of patients cope with mental illnesses, personality disorders, substance abuse, brain damage, history of trauma, etc. For a better understanding of personality disorders, follow this link, https://medlineplus.gov/personalitydisorders.html#:~:text=Personality%20disorders%20are%20a%20group,with%20everyday%20stresses%20and%20problems.
In collaboration with other professionals, such as physicians, social workers, and pharmacists, psychiatric nurses perform mental health evaluations and determine the best treatment for the condition. They conduct interviews with the victims and assist them in dealing with the trauma they’ve suffered.
Those working in correctional facilities assess the mental state of inmates, provide treatment, and monitor their behavior. Most criminals suffer from a particular social, behavioral, or psychological disorder, which should be treated with therapy and medications.
In the course of education, forensic nursing students acquire a number of key skills indispensable for this profession. For instance, psychiatric nurses are expected to be good leaders and communicators, knowledgeable in mental disorders, capable of making objective decisions, and thorough.
Final thoughts
Earning such an MSN degree provides a wide range of career choices for graduates.
We hope the occupations listed above will help you make the right decision!
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