Evaluation of teaching forensic nursing course on undergraduate nursing student’s forensic nursing knowledge

Abstract

Abstract Background The aim of the forensic nursing (FN) education is to provide nursing students with the basic knowledge of FN that they can use in the clinical area. Objective The study evaluated the effect of integrating forensic nursing into the undergraduate nursing curriculum on 2nd- and 4th-year students’ knowledge level of FN. Participants The target population of this study was composed of 2nd- and 4th-year students in the nursing department at a foundation university in Istanbul. The study was conducted with 95 nursing students who agreed to participate in the study. Methods The research was planned as cross-sectional and descriptive. The questionnaire form was developed with the help of literature by experts in the field. Each correct answer was scored as 4 points, and the total score could range from 0 to 100. Results The average age was 21.64 ± 1.16, and 66.3% (n = 63) was female. Out of the 95 students, 50.5% (n = 48) were in 2nd year, and 49.5% (n = 47) were in 4th year. A total of 47.4% (n = 45) of the students took a FN course, and 52.6% (n = 50) did not take FN course. The average level of knowledge for those who took FN course was 52.09 ± 12.31 and for those who did not take FN course was 46.16 ± 12.18. According to the status of taking FN course, a significant difference was found between the average level of knowledge (p < 0.05). Conclusions These results emphasize the importance of integration of FN into the undergraduate nursing curriculum.