Dimensions of Nursing Practice Exam
New roles for the nurse correct answersThe profession of nursing is dynamic and ever-changing. Nursing
roles evolve and develop in response to the needs of society. Part of the hope for the Affordable Care Act
is that it will open even more doors for professional nurses and provide opportunities for expanded
practice. This chapter discusses the new and exciting practice roles in nursing. Included are discussions of
forensic nursing, nurse entrepreneurs, nurse case managers, and legal nurse consultants.
Forensic nursing correct answersForensic nursing is an emerging field that forms an alliance among
nursing, law enforcement, and the forensic sciences. The term forensic means anything belonging to, or
pertaining to, the law.
An emerging discipline correct answersForensic nursing, as defined by the International Association of
Forensic Nurses (IAFN), is "the application of nursing science to public or legal proceedings; the
application of the forensic aspects of health care combined with the bio-psycho-social education of the
registered nurse (RN) in the scientific investigation and treatment of trauma and/or death of victims and
perpetrators of abuse, violence, criminal activity and traumatic accidents." 1 Forensic nurses provide a
continuum of care to victims and their families, beginning in the emergency room or crime scene and
leading to participation in the criminal investigation and the courts of law.
Nurses, particularly emergency department (ED) nurses, have long provided care to victims of domestic
violence, rape, and other injuries resulting from criminal acts. They have collected, preserved, and
documented legal evidence, often without formal training. It was not until 1992 that the term forensic
nursing was coined.
Sexual assault nurse examiner correct answersA SANE is an RN trained in the forensic examination of
sexual assault victims. This person has an advanced education and clinical preparation specialized in this
area. Clients who have been sexually assaulted have unique medical, legal, and psychological needs. As
crime victims, they require a competent collection of evidence that assists in both investigation and
prosecution of the incident. Their bodies and clothing become a key part of the crime scene and are
essential for collection of evidence. The SANE offers the type of compassionate care that is often lacking
among law enforcement personnel. The care provided by SANEs has been designed to preserve the
victim's dignity and reduce psychological trauma. Research data collected in recent years indicate that
the SANE's comprehensive forensic evidence collection leads to more effective investigations and more
successful prosecutions.2
, Legal nurse consultant correct answersThe legal nurse consultant is a licensed RN who critically evaluates
and analyzes health-care issues in medically related lawsuits. Because the legal system is involved, nurses
acting as consultants are considered to be practicing forensics. Nurses uniquely combine their medical
expertise with legal knowledge to assess compliance with accepted standards of health-care practice.
Legal nurse consultants work in collaboration with attorneys and other legal and health-care
professionals. They may have independent practices, work in the hospital setting in risk management, or
be employed by law firms or health insurance companies.
Forensic nurse death investigator correct answersThe role of the nurse death investigator is to advocate
for the deceased. In general, a death investigator is a professional with experiential and scientific
knowledge who can accurately determine the cause of death. The forensic nurse death investigator is an
RN with specialized education who is functioning in the death investigator's role. Nurse death
investigators are called upon when law enforcement suspects a death did not result from natural causes.
At a natural death scene, there are usually only uniformed officers. The forensic nurse death investigator
may assume several different titles, such as forensic nurse investigator, death investigator, or deputy
coroner. In some areas of the country, nurses actually practice as coroners. In the United States, there
are currently no standard definitions of "nurse death investigator" or any national credentialing or
education requirements. Each region of the country specifies the requirements in its own jurisdictions.
Forensic psychiatric nurse correct answersForensic psychiatric nurses work with individuals who have
mental health needs and who have entered the legal system. These nurses generally practice in state
psychiatric institutions, jails, and prisons. Nurses in this role perform physical and psychiatric
assessments and develop care plans for the clients entrusted to their care. At the most basic level,
forensic psychiatric nurses assist clients with self-care, administer medical care and treatment, and
monitor the effectiveness of the treatment. Psychiatric interventions are developed to promote coping
skills and improve mental health in a therapeutic environment.
Forensic correctional nurse correct answersCorrectional facilities reflect the demographics of the general
population, with an increasingly aging incarcerated population who have age-related health-care
problems. Forensic correctional nurses provide health care for inmates in correctional facilities such as
juvenile centers, jails, and prisons. They manage acute and chronic illness, develop health-care plans,
dispense medications, and perform health screenings and health education. Forensic correctional nurses
conduct psychiatric assessments and respond to emergency situations. The role of the forensic
correctional nurse offers a high level of autonomy compared with other nursing roles.
Evolving requirements correct answersThere is no official certification as a forensic nurse in the United
States except for the SANE certification. Many nurses working in forensic roles believe certification
requirements will develop as the specialty of forensic nursing continues to evolve and becomes better
defined. In the near future, nursing education will be required to develop classes that teach forensic
nursing as a part of their curriculum.
