Forensic nursing

Presentation on forensic nursing-history, issues and nurses role

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 14 th 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 12 th to 16 th 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 .