subject: Forensic Nurse Practitioner Programs: A Growing Opportunity For Nursing Students Today And Beyond [print this page] Forensic Nurse Practitioner Programs: A Growing Opportunity For Nursing Students Today And Beyond
For many who are entering the work force for the first time and those who are looking for better career options, a possible fulfilling and rewarding choice can be a career as a forensic nurse. There are different variety of programs that you may enrol in as a nursing student. There are programs that will require specialization and require a specific set of courses but in the end offer a very competitive pay and high demand for work. Recently, one of the up and coming programs are the forensic nurse practitioner programs. These programs are considered valuable investments of your time. You will have a strong history with the police and judicial system as you will be working exclusively with the victims of violent crimes, collecting evidence, providing examinations to those who were sexually assaulted, make reports and provide support. The programs offered for forensic nurse will prepare you for employment in fields like psychiatric nursing, coroners offices, correctional facilities and clinician specialties. It is usually necessary for you to have already received your Registered Nurse license when you are about to apply for this program. There are programs offered by Universities that are majorly designed with the registered nurses taking up these courses as a post-graduate study.
The curriculum for the forensic nurse practitioner programs is a fast paced and intense one so having a background in the nursing field is very important. These programs will focus on the physical evidence of a crime scene and the lab work in different cases. This necessitates basic knowledge and application of a nurse before entering these courses. Lab work will be the majority scope of the programs for forensic nurses. The training essentially mimics the job already so expect that you will be collecting evidence from the victims and also have a say in analysing the collected contents. Your professional opinion on the cases that you are to handle are highly valued in court and provide substantial recommendations during criminal investigations. The state and government place quite an emphasis on the certification of forensic nurses because of the importance placed on their professional advice and opinions in their sensitive natured work. Each program as a forensic nurse practitioner will make you fit and conditioned for the specific subfield within this category.
For example, a certified nurse practitioner in the field of forensics can be a SANE-P that work with children only while a SANE-A works with adults and adolescents. Both work with victims of sexual assault and abuse. It is important for you to know where you want to be specializing on. Having an education on forensic nurse practitioner programs is a developing demand and you may even be earning an average of $44,000 annually. The investment will definitely pay off the expenses when you start earning.
