Bloodstain Patterns.htmlBloodstain Patterns Classifying Bloodstains In order to analyze bloodstains present at a crime scene, we must first classify each one. Classifying a bloodstain or pattern must be based on the physical characteristics of the stain or pattern. It is important to remain objective when classifying stains. Bevel & Gardner introduce the idea of using a taxonomic classification system in order to reduce subjectivity. In this class, we will use the Taxonomic Classification System for Bloodstains in order to classify bloodstains. You can also use the Decision Map provided in the e-book to assist in using the Taxonomy. We start with Bloodstain. Is the stain actually blood? We will learn next week, how to test stains to determine if in fact the stain is blood. Once we determine the stain is blood, we then have to decide if the stain is a Spatter Stain or Non-Spatter Stain. It is important to observe the stains objectively and not base your interpretation of the stain on any theories presented about the crime and crime scene. Spatter Stains Common characteristics of all spatter stains are that they are elliptical or circular shaped (contain scallops, spines or a tail and secondary/satellite spatter), resulting from free-flight of blood impacting the surface. Linear Spatter (linear orientation) Arterial Spurt - linear, large volume, long stains Cast-Off - linear, no large volume, progressive, consistent impact angle change Drip Trail - linear, no large volume, lead from one point to another Non-Linear Spatter (no linear orientation) Impact Spatter - pattern has radiating distribution, progressive change in shape Expectorate Spatter - pattern has radiating distribution, bubble rings or mucous Drips - No pattern, random oriented on the surface Non-Spatter Stains Primary stain is not spatter, in other words, not created by free-flight of blood impacting the surface. Irregular Margin - Non-Spatter (irregular or spiny margin) Gush/Splash - large volume, large irregular stain, secondary spatter (spiny margins) Blood into Blood - large volume, irregular margin, random spatter around margin Smear - feathered boundary, striations in stain, diminished volume, no spatter Wipe - a smear stain, displaced blood from original stain, no spatter Swipe - a smear stain, no original stain, created by bloody object, no pattern Regular Margin - Non-Spatter (regular margin) Pattern Transfer - contact pattern, recognizable object that deposited blood Pool - large volume, conforms to surface contours, serum separation or clotting Saturation - no specific shape, absorbed into permeable surface Flow - movement with surface contours, margins lead from one point to another Basic reproducible bloodstain pattern types Blood dispersed from a point/area by a force (i.e., impact patterns, expectorate) Bloods ejected over time from an object in motion (i.e., cast-off patterns) Blood ejected in volume under pressure (i.e., spurt or gush patterns) Blood dispersed as ...

1. Bloodstain Patterns.htmlBloodstain Patterns
Classifying Bloodstains
In order to analyze bloodstains present at a crime scene, we
must first classify each one. Classifying a bloodstain or pattern
must be based on the physical characteristics of the stain or
pattern. It is important to remain objective when classifying
stains. Bevel & Gardner introduce the idea of using a taxonomic
classification system in order to reduce subjectivity. In this
class, we will use the Taxonomic Classification System for
Bloodstains in order to classify bloodstains. You can also use
the Decision Map provided in the e-book to assist in using the
Taxonomy.
We start with Bloodstain. Is the stain actually blood? We will
learn next week, how to test stains to determine if in fact the
stain is blood.
Once we determine the stain is blood, we then have to decide if
the stain is a Spatter Stain or Non-Spatter Stain. It is important
to observe the stains objectively and not base your
interpretation of the stain on any theories presented about the
crime and crime scene.
Spatter Stains
Common characteristics of all spatter stains are that they are
elliptical or circular shaped (contain scallops, spines or a tail
and secondary/satellite spatter), resulting from free-flight of
blood impacting the surface.
Linear Spatter (linear orientation)
Arterial Spurt - linear, large volume, long stains
Cast-Off - linear, no large volume, progressive, consistent
impact angle change Drip Trail - linear, no large volume, lead
from one point to another
Non-Linear Spatter (no linear orientation)
Impact Spatter - pattern has radiating distribution, progressive
change in shape

2. Expectorate Spatter - pattern has radiating distribution, bubble
rings or mucous
Drips - No pattern, random oriented on the surface
Non-Spatter Stains
Primary stain is not spatter, in other words, not created by free-
flight of blood impacting the surface.
Irregular Margin - Non-Spatter (irregular or spiny margin)
Gush/Splash - large volume, large irregular stain, secondary
spatter (spiny margins)
Blood into Blood - large volume, irregular margin, random
spatter around margin
Smear - feathered boundary, striations in stain, diminished
volume, no spatter
Wipe - a smear stain, displaced blood from original stain, no
spatter
Swipe - a smear stain, no original stain, created by bloody
object, no pattern
Regular Margin - Non-Spatter (regular margin)
Pattern Transfer - contact pattern, recognizable object that
deposited blood
Pool - large volume, conforms to surface contours, serum
separation or clotting
Saturation - no specific shape, absorbed into permeable surface
Flow - movement with surface contours, margins lead from one
point to another
Basic reproducible bloodstain pattern types
Blood dispersed from a point/area by a force (i.e., impact
patterns, expectorate)
Bloods ejected over time from an object in motion (i.e., cast-off
patterns)
Blood ejected in volume under pressure (i.e., spurt or gush
patterns)
Blood dispersed as a function of gravity (i.e., drip patterns, drip
trails)
Blood accumulates and/or flows on a surface (i.e., pools, flows)
Blood deposited through contact transfer (i.e., smears, pattern

3. transfers)
Scientific Method
The scientific method provided a methodical, objective way to
answers questions. The method is cyclic in that if the hypothesis
is incorrect then you do it again:
Ask a question
Gather data
Construct a hypothesis
Test your hypothesis via experiment
Analyze results & draw conclusion
Report your results. Was your hypothesis correct? If not, try
again!
How do we apply the scientific method to BPA? The following
is the 8-step methodology prescribed by Bevel & Gardner
(2008):
Become familiar with the crime scene.
Identify the discrete patterns among the many bloodstained
surfaces.
Classify these patterns based on taxonomy.
Evaluate aspects of directionality and motion for the pattern.
Evaluate angles of impact, points of convergence, and areas of
origin.
Evaluate interrelationships among patterns and other evidence.
Evaluate viable source events to explain pattern, based on all
evidence.
Define a best explanation of the events.
Motion & Directionality of Bloodstains
Determining motion and directionality of a blood droplet can
assist analysts in understanding what happened at a crime scene.
Bevel and Gardner (2008) highlight three key points about
motion:
1. General direction of events - the area where the least amount
of blood is present is generally the beginning of the event
because blood will flow more freely with time or as the victim
is repeatedly injured and as the victim moves around.
2. Droplet directionality - in many instances, the direction of a

4. droplet upon impact on regular surfaces can be determined by
looking at the location of spines, satellite spatter, scallops, and
tails. For example a scallop located on the east side of a droplet
indicates that the droplet was traveling from the east.
3. Recognizing blood trail motion - as an injured person moves,
blood will drop from the wound(s). The droplets will have
forward momentum. As the injured person increases speed, the
droplets will become more elliptical in shape upon impact. It is
also important to look for the presence of spines, satellite
spatter, scallops, and tails which will assist in determining the
direction of the blood trail. It is important to analyze the trail as
a whole and not just focus on one droplet.
Determining motion from wipe & swipe stains: Thinning of the
blood volume can is a good indicator of direction.
How can impact pattern stains help analysts what caused the
stain?
First, we have to understand that impact spatter is caused when
an outside force (blunt object, gunshot) strikes a blood source.
Impact spatter has a radiating pattern upon contact with a
surface. Spatter stains differ in their size. It is important for an
analyst to describe those characteristics.
There are several methods to describe impact spatter stains.
Impact velocity is method in which bloodstains are categorized
by velocity groupings: low- velocity (LVIS), medium-velocity
(MVIS), and high-velocity (HVIC). LVIS (results of gravity)
are larger stains in comparison to MVIS and HVIS (results of
gunshot wounds).
It is important for analysts to determine the preponderant stain
size (the most common stain within a pattern).
Impacts from outside sources result in smaller droplets.

5. The center of the radiating impact pattern is the point where the
impact occurred.
The presence of gunshot spatter can provide investigators with
clues about what happened at the crime scene.
Forward spatter - only present when bullet exits victim, flows in
direction of bullet.
Back spatter - flows back from direction of bullet, possibly onto
shooter if in close range of the victim.
Proper documentation of bloodstains include: detecting and
collecting bloodstain evidence, photographing and video
recording bloodstains, sketching bloodstain patterns, and
writing reports about every action taken in regards to the
bloodstains.
Bevel,T. & Gardner, R. (2008) Bloodstain pattern analysis.
CRC.
Geberth, V. (2007). Practical homicide investigation. Law and
Order, 55(3).
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Nicole S
Discussion # 1
Patient preferences are important to follow, especially
when it comes to end of life choices and decisions. When I was
a new nurse, I had an elderly lady who was admitted to my unit,
she was in her mid-nineties, had a feeding tube, was not alert or
oriented and had several large pressure ulcers on her sacrum.
She had been a DNR and on hospice care when the family
decided over the holiday season that they wanted to remove her
DNR. During this time the feeding tube was accidentally pulled

6. out, and she was experiencing some end-of-life symptoms such
as severe bradycardia and was admitted to the hospital. There
were different opinions of the family of this patient. Some of
her children wanted to reinstate her DNR order and allow her to
pass peacefully, while others wanted the hospital staff to do
everything medically possible to keep her alive. This became a
large issue that ended up involving nurse managers, physicians,
social workers, and hospital administrators. “Often, DNR orders
are the most controversial in family dynamics (Tajari, 2018).
Families often try to convince the healthcare team to overturn
the DNR directive. As a nurse, the patient is the priority of care
and nurses are the patient’s advocate” (Haley, B, 2021). If a
patient makes themselves a DNR when they are in their right
mind, should someone at a later time be able to revoke this
decision? As a healthcare professional, it is imperative that we
provide patient-centered care, and not based on our feelings.
“Failure to employ appropriate decision-making techniques can
lead to significant problems” (Kon, A.A., et al., 2016). There
are decision-making aides available for patients and family
members to look over when making these end-of-life decisions
(Healthwise Staff, 2021).
After several meetings with the family and support
staff, the family came to the agreement of reinstatement of the
DNR order. “Patients rely on clinicians to be clinically wise and
make sound judgment as experts in their profession. When
clinicians do not meet this expectation, they fail patients and
communities” (Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E., 2018, p
224). Changing the code status takes away from the patients’
autonomy, and as healthcare providers we are to deliver patient-
centered care.
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Aigielinn M
Discussion # 2
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One situation that I have experienced was with a patient who
was diagnosed with diabetes but was noncompliant with insulin

7. and was not living a healthy lifestyle. The patient was admitted
because they had an infection on their foot which caused the
foot to turn black in color and had extreme pain. The patient
stated that they do not believe in doctors or medicine.
Therefore, they were using herbal medicines from their country
that they believed lowered their blood sugars. After being seen
by the orthopedic doctor, the patient was advised to receive
emergency surgery to remove the foot. Unfortunately, the
patient refused the surgery and wanted to continue with the
herbal remedies. I educated the patient, trying to explain that if
not treated properly, the infection could spread to the
bloodstream. However, the patient continued to refuse and
wanted to be discharged home since I was not incorporating
their preferences and values in the treatment plan.
Healthcare professionals should make a decision that “reflects
their patient's values and circumstances” (Hoffmann et al.,
2014). However, in this situation, if I were to include the
patient’s herbal remedies, it may have caused further damage to
the patient’s injury because neither I nor the doctor was familiar
with this particular natural medicine. Since the herbal remedies
were not included, the patient was reluctant to participate in the
treatment plan. Furthermore, by making treatment decisions
“without attempting to understand the patient’s values, goals,
and preferences, decisions will likely be predominantly based
on the clinicans’ values” (Kon et al., 2016). Therefore, it was
important to provide information packets and allow the patient
to collaborate with the healthcare team about their plan of care
to avoid unethical decision-making.
Patient decision aids are tools that help patients and providers
collaborate together about care options (Washington Health
Care, 2022). Brochures, an example of a patient decision aid
tool, is effective in decision-making and incorporates
information and teaching strategies. In this situation, the
diabetes doctor and the patient reviewed a brochure that
explained what diabetes is and how it affects the body as a
whole. By reviewing the brochure together, the patient was

8. more willing to cooperate and agree to the surgery. Using
brochures can benefit patients admitted to the hospital because
it provides information that keeps the reader engaged but does
not overwhelm the reader with too much information. Lastly,
brochures can benefit professional practice when implementing
discharge plans for patients. For example, when this patient was
able to be discharged, they were provided an additional
brochure that educated them on how to monitor blood glucose at
home and medication compliance. Therefore, brochures are a
great patient decision aid tool that I can continue to use in
professional practice when discussing new diagnoses with
patients.
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