Forensic nursing in the emergency department The distance between performed role behaviors by nurses and their perception of behaviors’ importance

Abstract

Abstract Background Emergency department nurses often deal with victims of violence and trauma. Lifesaving and stabilizing the patients’ conditions often is a priority and protecting the chain of valuable evidence is the next priority. It is important to describe how nurses currently practice in ED and perceive their role in caring for forensic patients. Objective To investigate the performed frequency and perceived importance of forensic nursing role behaviors by ED nurses and the difference between performed behaviors and perceived behaviors’ importance. Method A questionnaire was used to investigate the performed frequency and perceived importance of forensic nursing role behaviors among 274 ED nurses. Results The total mean score of performed frequency and perceived importance of behaviors was 2.36 ± 0.65 and 4.23 ± 0.64 respectively. The total mean difference score between performed frequency and perceived importance was 1.86. The highest mean difference scores belonged to the role behaviors of forensic nurse specialists including educating the staff on forensic matters (3.1), acting as an expert witness in court (3.09), and operating in the ED (3.08). The items with the lowest mean difference scores were: informing forensic physicians about admitting a dead patient on arrival (0.93), assisting police investigators in their mission (0.99), and assuring documentation for investigation/legal protection of the nurse/patient (1.01). Performed frequency of behaviors positively correlated with participants’ type of shift worked and their personal experiences of legal and judicial claims. The female gender of respondents positively correlated with behaviors’ perceived importance. Conclusion The gap between role behaviors enacted by ED nurses and their expectations to perform those behaviors reflects an urgent need to train nurses by integrating forensic nursing topics into graduate and undergraduate nursing curricula, nursing programs, and in-service education. Forensic nurses should be available in ED to facilitate the conviction of criminals and support the victims of trauma and innocents. To meet society’s changing needs and demands ED nurses should be encouraged to expand their. Interventions should be undertaken to specialize nursing roles and recognize forensic nursing specialty. It is required to develop and apply forensic nursing protocols in caring for victims of trauma and violence and facilitate the cooperation of healthcare system with law enforcement and forensic investigators.