FS207 Course Description

An Introduction to
Forensic Nursing Concepts

Note: Sherry Arndt is a guest instructor of Knowledge Solutions LLC.
She can be reached at: 4n6rn@prairie.lakes.com

For administrative information regarding this course
please contact us via our request form.

Purposes and Objectives:

For Nurses ~ Earn CEU's for this course - see requirements section below !

The course is designed to introduce the student to the specialty practice area of forensic nursing. It will be useful to RN's, advanced practice RN's, physicians, other health care providers, and students considering practicing forensic nursing or who may work with forensic nurses. It will also benefit law enforcement professionals, attorneys, members of the judiciary, criminalists, and other forensic scientists considering the benefit of collaboration with a forensic nurse.

Forensic nursing is one of the latest specialty practice areas recognized by the American Nurses Association. Forensic nursing is the application of nursing science to the administration of justice. Public awareness of the subspecialty of the sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) has increased in recent years and now SANE programs exist in many states, in both urban, suburban and rural areas. The SANE is the largest subspecialty of forensic nursing, closely followed by death investigation, forensic psychiatric nursing and medical-legal consulting.

This course will provide the student with an overview of forensic nursing practice in a variety of settings, providing examples of practice. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Define forensic nursing
• Identify the scope of practice of forensic nursing
• Give at least four examples of forensic nursing cases
• Identify educational resources at both the graduate and certificate level
• Identify resources for obtaining more information about forensic nursing
• Identify professional organizations for the forensic nurse

This course will benefit the student nurse considering pursuit of this specialty, the RN or advanced practice RN considering educational opportunities and other health care professionals who simply want to know more about this new specialty. It will also benefit members of the criminal justice system, legal system, judiciary, corrections agencies, coroners, medical examiners and others who may want to know how collaboration with a forensic nurse can assist their own practice.

Starting Date:	TBA
Ending Date:	TBA

Maximum course size:	50 students
Time Commitment:	2 + hours / week

Please note: Due to the nature of our online courses, course materials and the discussion forum are available 24 hours a day and can be accessed according to the student's individual schedule. Thus, the time commitment can only be an estimate on our part and will vary from student to student.

Instructor:

Sherry Arndt, RN, MPA

Sherry Arndt has been working in the field of interpersonal violence since 1983. She coordinated the first Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner/ Sexual Assault Response Team (SANE/SART) Program in California, USA, from 1986 - 1996. She also helped implement the Nurse Examiner Program at the YWCA in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. Ms. Arndt is currently president of Forensic Nursing Services. She has taught numerous courses on forensic nursing and the sexual assault nurse examiner.

To learn more about Sherry, please click on her name above to be taken to the Instructors page.

Textbook:

No specific text is required for the course. The student will be expected to read the posted course material and respond on a weekly basis. However, for more information about the role of the sexual assault nurse examiner, students may wish to obtain Sexual Assault: The Medical-Legal Examination, by Sharon R. Crowley.

This book can be easily purchased from our online Forensic Science Bookstore. Just click on the book link above. For more books on this topic, visit the Incest, Molestation, & Abuse Investigation shelf.

Prerequisites:

This course is specifically designed as an introductory course, and as such, has no prerequisites.

However, people who can directly benefit from this course are:

• RN's, advanced practice RN's, physicians, other health care providers, and students considering practicing forensic nursing or who may work with forensic nurses.
• Law enforcement professionals, attorneys, members of the judiciary, criminalists, and other forensic scientists considering the benefit of collaboration with a forensic nurse.

Requirements:

1. The following are required for successful completion of this course:

• A basic understanding of the Internet and how to access its resources.
• Competency with and access to Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer or another forms capable browser, with the ability to view both text and images.
• A valid email address and familiarity with sending and receiving email.

2. Discussions will be held in the discussion forum area. The student is encouraged to post frequently.

3. A Certificate of Completion may be earned by weekly participation in the instructor-led discussion via the web-based discussion forum. An online exam to assess learning will be optional at the end of the course. If CEUs are desired (see below) then the online exam must be passed.

Nursing CEU's: 4 CEU's for RN's, LVN/ LPN's can be obtained through Forensic Nursing Services for completion of this course. Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP 11177, for 4 contact hours. These may also meet the requirements for CEU's for other health care providers. Check with your state regulatory board for more information.

Cost:

Total registration fee per student is $75.00. If you wish to earn nursing CEU's there will be an additional processing fee of $20. This does not include the price of the textbook. A 6% sale tax applies to all Connecticut residents.

Registration:

To register, please click on the registration link at the top of this page.

The deadline for registrations & payments is:

TBA

Please note: Payment by check or money order must arrive at our office no later than the Registration & Payment deadline in order to ensure enrollment and to avoid a $10 late charge. Credit card payment must be authorized by the Registration & Payment deadline in order to ensure enrollment and to avoid a $10 late charge. We won't be able to issue you password information until we have confirmed your registration with payment. Refund policy - We regret that we cannot refund enrollment fees if you choose to withdraw from a course once you have confirmed your registration with payment. Please see the Student FAQ for more details or write the Director of Forensic Services with any questions.

Lesson Plan:

The course consists of a weekly online lesson plan in the form of an HTML page, with assigned reading, and assigned questions. Course related discussion between students and professors takes place in a web-based discussion forum.

The instructor is always available by email.

 

For more information about how a Knowledge Solutions course works, please consult the FAQ. Or, contact us.