COURSE INFORMATION

This is the first CE course in the Forensic Nursing Practice Specialist Certification Program. This course introduces the student to the history and the emergence of the practice specialty of Forensic Nursing. The emergence and growth of the role is carefully examined and past and future issues related to the specialty practice are highlighted. The various roles of the forensic nurse are examined as models for practice and opportunities for niche practice roles for registered nurses seeking this specialty practice certification. The course discusses issues related to evidence identification and collection. Focus is then given to the topics of violence and its forms and the epidemiology of violence in our society. Students will study vulnerable populations to violence, interpersonal violence, leading causes of death by violence and the National Violent Death Reporting System. This course also provides for an in-depth study of the ethical issues in practice that are most relevant to the practice of Forensic Nursing. Concepts of ethical discourse and ethical tensions for practicing forensic nurses are examined. Students will study concepts of culture and transcultural nursing and how they related to the practice of professional Forensic Nursing. Students will also be provided with an in-depth study of sexual abuse including an in-depth examination of the sexual offender, including theories related to the socialization and mental health of such offenders. Interventions for working with victims and offenders related to sexual abuse and violence are studied.   Course Code: FN 500. Contact hours of education = 50. Course Cost: $ 200.00.

Pre-requisite: You must be currently licensed as a Registered Nurse in order to register for this continuing education course.

This course is particularly designed for registered nurses would like to apply for Certification in Forensic Nursing Practice by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc.

Instructor/Course Authors: 

Michelle R. Most, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CC-EMT-P, EMT-P, SANE-A, SANE-P, DVNE, FN-CSp

Link to Resume: access here

&

Dominick L. Flarey, Ph.D, RN-BC, ANP-BC, GC-C

Link to Resume: access here

TIME FRAME: You are allotted two years from the date of enrollment, to complete all of the courses in the Forensic Nursing Practice program. There are no set time-frames, other than the two year allotted time. If you do not complete the courses within the two-year time-frame, you will be removed from the course and an “incomplete” will be recorded for you in our records. Also, if you would like to complete the courses after this two-year expiration time, you would need to register and pay the course tuition fee again.

Reading/Study Assignment: this course covers Chapters One (1) through Chapter Seven (7) in the required text book.

TEXTBOOK:

Forensic Nursing: A Handbook for Practice 2nd Edition. Rita M. Hammer, Barbara Moynihan, & Elaine M. Pagliaro. Jones & Bartlett Publishing Inc. 2011.
ISBN-10: 0763792004 ISBN-13: 978-0763792008 Paper back edition.

Link to Purchase on Amazon.com: click here

GRADING: You must achieve a passing score of at least 70% to complete this course and receive the 50 hours of awarded continuing education credit. There are no letter grades assigned. You will receive notice of your total % score. Those who score below the minimum of 70% will be contacted by the and options for completing additional course work to achieve a passing score, will be presented.

BOARD APPROVALS: AIHCP is an approved provider of continuing education by the Florida Board of Nursing and the District of Columbia Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975. Access information

The American Institute of Health Care Professionals (The Provider) is approved by the California Board of Registered Nurses, Provider number # CEP 15595 for 50 Contact Hours.

This course, which is approved by the Florida State Board Of Nursing (CE Provider # 50-11975) also has the following Board of Nursing Approvals, for 50 contact hours of CE

The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Arkansas Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Georgia Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the South Carolina Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Professional Registered Nurses. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the New Mexico Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.

Course Refund & AIHCP Policies: access here

ONLINE CLASSROOM RESOURCES AND TOOLS

* Examination Access: there is link to take you right to the online examination program where you can print out your examination and work with it. All examinations are formatted as “open book” tests. When you are ready, you can access the exam program at anytime and click in your responses to the questions. Full information is provided in the online classrooms.

* Student Resource Center: there is a link for access to a web page “Student Resource Center.” The Resource Center provides for easy access to all of our policies/procedures and additional information regarding applying for certification. We also have many links to many outside reference sites, such as online libraries that you may freely access.

* Online Evaluation: there is a link in the classroom where you may access the course evaluation. All students completing a course, must, without exception, complete the course evaluation.

* Faculty Access Information: you will have access to your instructor’s online resume/biography, as well as your instructor’s specific contact information.

* Additional Learning Materials: some faculty have prepared additional “readings” and /or brief lecture notes to enhance your experience. All of these are available in the online classrooms.

Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Review and discuss the definition of Forensic Nursing
• Review and discuss the history and the development of Forensic Nursing as a professional practice model and continuing emerging role
• Discuss the theoretical foundations related to the practice of Forensic Nursing
• List seven roles that are defined in Forensic Nursing Practice today and discuss the unique practice variations of each role
• Review and discuss several key issues related to Forensic Nursing in the past as well as some future issues under consideration
• Review and discuss how Forensic Nursing has emerged over the years and how it continues to emerge in present day nursing practice
• Define health within a Forensic Nursing context
• Discuss the role of nursing in evidence identification and collection
• Define violence and discuss its many forms
• Describe and discuss type of interpersonal violence
• Define and discuss Epidemiology
• Review and discuss the National Violent Death Reporting System
• Understand the Haddon Matrix applied to a violent event
• Review and discuss the epidemiology of violence in the United States
• Identify and discuss leading causes of death by violence in the USA, including homicide, suicide, intimate partner violence, terrorism, work place violence and more
• Discuss how forensic nursing can contribute to the collaborative investigation of violent events
• Discuss the role forensic nurses can play in violence prevention
• List and discuss the key ethical principles guiding Forensic Nursing Practice
• Discuss the key recurring concepts in ethical discourse of Forensic Nursing Practice
• Define and discuss the key points for ethical tension in Forensic Nursing Practice
• List and discuss the key factors used in considering ethical justification of clinical decisions in Practice
• Discuss applying transcultural understanding in Forensic Nursing Practice
• Define and review the key concepts of transcultural nursing
• Discuss how cultural pain interferes with communication
• Discuss how understanding diversity can reduce cultural pain and communication barriers
• Discuss how racial categories are socially constructed
• Define and discuss the concepts of prejudice and discrimination
• Review and discuss the ritual process of medicine
• Define and discuss client experiences in the institutional contexts of Forensic Nursing
• Review, define and discuss a Cultural Process Model of Recovery
• Discuss cultural practices and Forensic Nursing
• Review and discuss what cultural patterns and practices will be encountered in Forensic Nursing
• Define vulnerable populations
• List and discuss the characteristics of vulnerable populations
• Discuss predisposing factors to vulnerability
• Discuss effective forensic nursing practice interventions specific to various vulnerable population groups
• Define and discuss theoretical foundations specific to the unique needs of at-risk vulnerable populations
• Discuss how the forensic nurse can influence the resources and treatment of vulnerable populations
• Define sexual abuse
• List, define and discuss the elements of an informed consent
• Discuss the most prominent theories of sexual offending behaviors
• Discuss Finkelhor’s Preconditions for Sexual Abuse
• Review and discuss Family Systems Model
• Review and discuss theory integration related to sexual offending behaviors
• Define and discuss key sexual offense typologies
• List and discuss the etiological factors contributing to the evolution of the evolution of the sexual offender
• Discuss who are the most vulnerable potential victims/offenders in a case of sexual abuse
• Discuss the potential for collaboration between forensic nurses, other health care professionals, and the criminal justice system in the management of sexual abuse

COURSE CONTENT

• Forensic Nursing defined
• History and development of Forensic Nursing
• Theoretical Foundations for Forensic Nursing practice
• Recognized roles of Forensic Nursing practice
• Past and future issues in Forensic Nursing practice
• The emergence and growth of Forensic Nursing practice
• Defining health within a Forensic Nursing context
• Evidence identification and collection
• Violence and its forms
• Types of interpersonal violence
• Epidemiology as related to Forensic Nursing practice
• National Violent Death Reporting System
• The Haddon Matrix
• Epidemiology of violence in the United States
• Leading causes of death by violence in the United States
• Collaborative investigation of violent deaths
• Role of forensic nursing in the prevention of violent deaths
• Ethical principles guiding Forensic Nursing Practice
• Concepts of transcultural nursing
• Cultural pain and communication
• Concepts of ethical discourse in Forensic Nursing Practice
• Ethical tension in Forensic Nursing Practice
• Ethical justification of clinical decisions in practice
• Transcultural understanding in Forensic Nursing Practice
• Understanding diversity
• Racial categories and social construction
• Concepts of prejudice and discrimination
• The ritual process of medicine
• The institutional contexts of Forensic Nursing
• Cultural Process Recovery Model
• Cultural practices and Forensic Nursing
• Cultural practices and patterns encountered in Forensic Nursing Practice
• Vulnerable populations
• Forensic Nursing practice interventions for vulnerable population groups
• Resources and treatment of vulnerable population groups
• Sexual abuse
• Elements of informed consent
• Theories of sexual offending behaviors
• Finkelhor’s Preconditions for Sexual Abuse
• Family Systems Model
• Sexual offense typologies
• Evolution and factors of the sexual offender
• Vulnerable victims and offenders in cases of sexual abuse
• Collaboration of forensic nurses and other systems in the management of sexual abuse victims