This document provides an overview of forensic nursing. It begins by defining forensic medicine and its focus on applying medical knowledge to legal issues. It then discusses the history of forensic nursing, noting its origins in the 14th century and formal recognition in the 1990s in the United States. The core roles of a Forensic Nurse Examiner are described, including assisting with autopsy documentation, collecting evidence in sexual assault and crime scene cases, and helping to diagnose mental illness. The document advocates for expanding forensic nursing education and certification programs in India.

1. FORENSIC NURSING
BY
S.KARTHIKA,ASST.PROF,MMCON,
MMU,
AMBALA,HARYANA

2. FORENSIC MEDICINE
&
TOXICOLOGY

3. FORENSIC MEDICINE
Deals with application of medical knowledge
to help , in the administration of Law and justice.
--It is used by legal authorities for solution of legal
problems.
e.g. Application of medical knowledge in deciding
cases of injuries, sexual offences, poisoning and
infant deaths.
In short: It deals with
medical aspects of law.

4. MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE
Deals with responsibilities of a doctor:-
Doctors are guided by certain
rules & regulations,
rights & duties.
Punishable--- if does not abide.
• In cases of Negligence
• Consent not taken
• Infamous conduct
IN SHORT- It deals with
legal aspects of medicine.

5. TOXICOLOGY
• It is that branch of medical science which deals with
knowledge of POISONS:-
1) Sources
2) Characters & properties
3) Actions
4) Signs & symptoms
5) Nature of lethal effects (Toxicity).
6) Fatal or lethal dose.
7) Detection and estimation
8) Management or treatment to counteract the effects
of poisons.

6. Forensic Toxicology
(‘Toxicology in court room’)
• Deals with medical aspects i.e. points
mentioned above
as well as
legal aspects of poisons

7. Forensic Medicine
has become a vast subject now a days.
So
Less Difficulties in diagnosing a case of
unnatural death
&
Treating a case of poisoning
due to
different specialities like:

8. • Forensic Pathology--------H/P OF SPECIMENS
• Forensic Serology----------Blood stains
• Forensic Psychiatry--------Mental Illness
• Forensic Ballistics---------- Firearms
• Forensic Toxicology---------Poisons
• Dactylography---------------Finger prints
• Poroscopy--------------------Study of pores

9. • Anthropometry---------Body measurements
• Cheiloscopy--------------Lip prints
• Photography ------------Super imposition
• DNA study----------------Identification
• FOR.METEOROLOGY ---Weather conditions
• FOR. GEOLOGY----------Soil, Minerals etc.

10. • New arenas for practice have opened in nursing
sciences also such as:--
• Pediatric nursing
• Psychiatric nursing
• Geriatric nursing , etc.
One of the most interesting and
challenging new field is that of
FORENSIC NURSING

11. FORENSIC NURSING
• Application of knowledge of nursing
practices
• to solve medico-legal cases
• and help the:-
• Criminal investigating system and
• Judiciary
• to reach the right conclusion.

12. • It is a practice amongst the forensic
medicine people to take help from
assistants who are untrained &
even uneducated, while doing
postmortem in mortuary
&
• dealing with medico-legal cases in
emergency dept.

13. • Such people don’t know the value of
different material collected.
• Even the police people don’t know
how to take care of different
material in medico legal cases.

14. HISTORY OF FORENSIC
NURSING
• The concept of Forensic Science applied to
Nursing practice is not new, only the name is
new.
• The nurses/midwives were providing forensic
examinations on the order of THE KING,
as early as 14th century
• They were doing the -----confirmation of
pregnancy, collecting evidence of sexual
assaults & even giving testimony in the court.

15. In Italy and France crude form of
forensic nursing was being practiced between
12th to 16th century for deciding cases of
nullity of marriage on the basis of impotence
• Doctors and nurses were kept witnesses to the
capabilities of males and females.

16. • BHAI KANHAIYA (1648-1718)
• A sikh disciple of Guru Teg Bahadur ji, was
requested to establish sevapanthi of sikhs by
Guru Gobind Singh ji.
• During the battle between Sikhs and
• The Enemy, Bhai Kanhaiya ji was often seen
carrying a MASHAK to serve water to
wounded soldiers who were thirsty. This he
did with love and affection without any
discrimination between the wounded.

17. “ I saw no Mughal or Sikh on
The Battlefield, I saw only
Human Beings.”
• He was given MEDICAL BALM by GURU JI to
put on the wounds of all who need it along
with giving water.

18. Florence Nightingale
(1820-1910)
ANGEL OF CRIMEA / LADY WITH A LAMP
provided nursing care to war victims without
any consideration of friend or enemy.

19. Forensic nursing started in
USA about 30 years back,
where it is very well
developed with head quarter
of
International Association
of Forensic Nurses

20. • In 1992 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
FORENSIC NURSES was founded.
• In 1995 FORENSIC NURSING was duly
recognized as a formal speciality by---
• THE AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION OF
FORENSIC NURSING.
• In 1997 standards and scopes of
Forensic Nursing practice were published.

21. • Virginia A. Lynch, a forensic clinical nurse
specialist is recognized as founder of
forensic nursing science in US and
rest of the world.
• The other countries where forensic nursing is
already in practice, are:
• Canada, South Africa, Japan, Hong Kong,
Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Great Britain,
etc.

22. • In India, the journey of forensic nursing
started with visit if Ms Virginia A. Lynch
in Punjab in 2002.
• It was introduced for the first time in Raikot
town of Punjab, where FIRST LECTURE was
delivered at SRI GURU HAR SAHAI NURSING
SCHOOL

23. • Government nursing school Patiala
introduced lectures on forensic nursing to
Nursing Faculty & Nursing Students,
Police Official, Forensic Scientists,
Advocates, Judges and Press with the help
of DRME Punjab.
• It was decided there to develop and introduce
forensic nursing in India.

24. ROLE OF FORENSIC NURSE
EXAMINER (FNE)
Scope of forensic nursing in
India is enormous. It can be
applied to various fields to
improve the standard of
practice.

25. IN FORENSIC MEDICINE
• The FORENSIC NURSE EXAMINER (FNE)
• can assume an important responsibility , as
the first person to receive the
• bodies of the dead,
• police documents,
• maintain the mortuary records,
• manage legal formalities, etc.

26. • FNE can be trained to note:-
• The Early signs of death in a dead body the
moment it is received in the mortuary eg.:-
RIGOR MORTIS, PM Staining, TEMP. OF THE
BODY, EYE CHANGES, INJURIES ON BODY etc.
• FNE can answer the various queries of grief
stricken families. Thus reducing an aggressive
and unnecessary work of forensic doctor.

27. FORENSIC TRAUMATOLOGY
• FNE can play very useful role in emergency
management of victims of assault as they
know the importance of trace evidences
and will help to document and preserve these
vital evidences.

28. FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY
• FNE can help in preserving
• gastric lavage and other desired samples like
• vomited material,
• blood
• urine
• suspected food/medicine/utensils
• Soiled clothes
• document them
• and send them to the Forensic Science Lab for quick
analysis

29. FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY
• FNE can play a useful role in psychiatric
department also.
• They can observe the accused in the better
manner and help in diagnosing a case of mental
illness by constant & close observation.
TRUE MENTAL ILLNESS
FEIGNED MENTAL ILLNESS

30. SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES
• The most developed area of forensic nursing is
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner System.
• It is a very well developed branch in USA
• FNE are specially trained for
-- immediate examination of rape victims &
--collection of samples
--so that the victims of rape get the justice
due to them, as early as possible.

31. • THE FNE are also specially qualified as expert
witnesses in court of law
--In majority of the united US and Canadian
provinces as well as in some African countries-
The FNE is gradually replacing Gynecologists
and Emergency Physicians as
sexual assault examiners.

32. They are specially qualified &
trained in:-
--forensic techniques,
--improved method of collection
--preservation of specimens
--in the photo documentation of the
injury

33. CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATER
• As a member of investigating team at scene of
crime they can assist the investigating officers
in collection of trace and biological evidence
at the scene of crime eg.
• Finger prints
• Blood Stains & Other stains
• BULLETS & Catridges

34. Their responsibility also includes:-
• Safe transportation of
----- the pt. to the HOSPITAL
------body to the MORTUARY
• Security of medical evidence,
• Gathering information regarding the
circumstances of death.

35. FNE employed by Government or
non-Government organizations
can routinely
• visit Jails
• Police stations and
• other places of Retention------- to report
• Human Right Violations at those
places.

36. •Although forensic nursing
is a new concept in India it
will soon become a
standard of care in
medico-legal cases in India
also as in rest the world.

37. • Forensic nurses
do not replace or suppress
any other forensic expert
rather they fill voids ,
where needs exist due to
global shortage of forensic
experts.

38. In spite of many efforts,
introduction of forensic
nursing as a subject in
nursing course is still a
mirage.

39. • Efforts are needed to convince the
• Nursing Council of India and various
universities to start PG courses in forensic
nursing and also introduce forensic
nursing as a subject in India.

40. • It is the time that this
moment is taken over
• by the nursing professionals
• so that they are able to take
this moment to the logical
conclusion.

41. • The nurses who have completed
there diploma or degree should be
given special training and certificate
courses should be introduced at
individual nursing school/college
level to bring Indian nurses at par
with nurses of developed countries
in the field of forensic nursing.