That makes this specialty such a unique and exciting. Forensic nursing is a fairly new specialty in nursing, and is becoming more recognized in the field for its valuable contribution to solving crimes and helping victims of violent crime. Some forensic nurses obtain a master’s or doctoral degree in forensic nursing (see part 4 of this guide). Aspiring forensic nurses start the process by enrolling in an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree program in nursing. Forensic nursing—a growing career field at the intersection of medicine and law—is a specialty only recently recognized by the American Nurses Association (ANA). The forensic nurse of this decade is becoming the game changer in health care when it comes to violence and trauma responses. Perhaps the next largest form of forensic nursing is Sexual Assault Nurse … Kim Day, IAFN's Forensic Nursing Director, spoke to Nursing@Georgetown. In the US, most registered nurses find success in starting as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, or SANE.To become a SANE, registered nurses must take a Sexual Assault Examiner Class comprised of 40 hours of classroom training, followed by an average of 40 hours of clinical training.IAFN has Educational Guidelines that recommend this training … Correctional nursing and Forensic Psychiatric Nursing is an established area of practice in many countries including Australia, where nursing staff provide for the health care needs of those held in custody. Flinders University has joined forces with John Hopkins University, in the United States, to offer nurses, midwives, paramedics and other health care professionals the first course of its kind in Australia. Tracey’s qualifications include completing a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Nursing in 2004, followed by a Diploma in Mental Health at Flinders University in South Australia. Steps for Becoming a Forensic Nurse. Become a SANE To become a SANE, you must first be a registered nurse (or advanced practice), preferably with two years or more experience in areas of practice that require advanced physical assessment skills, such as emergency, critical care and maternal child health. There are many sub-specialties of forensic nursing, but its main focus is connecting … The BLS reports that in May 2018 , the median annual income for nurse practitioners was $107,030, with the bottom 10% of NPs earning $78,000 and the top 10% earning $150,320. Blog insights you may like. Due to the increased demand for forensic nursing, many nursing schools are now offering forensic science-related courses, such as victimology, forensic mental health, and perpetrator theory. A South Australian university will launch an online course in forensic health care next year. “Forensic nursing is the application of the nursing process and providing nursing care with a nexus to the criminal process,” Tracey explains. The path to becoming a Forensic Nurse will vary.