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Forensic Psychiatric Nurse - Career Profile |
Career OverviewAccording to a number of reports into the field, forensic psychiatric nursing practice in the United States is challenging an age-old notion that forensic mental health is a field of medical practice firmly in the grasp of psychiatrists and psychologists. The role of the forensic psychiatric nurse continues to challenge this notion by demonstrating the significance of nurses roles in this area.
The principle role of the forensic psychiatric nurse is the psychiatric evaluation of individuals, typically those who are considered to have undergone a recent trauma. The forensic psychiatric nurse evaluates a patient using a range of resources, including personal interviews and standardized screening instruments.
After an evaluation, the forensic psychiatric nurse may then make referrals or recommendations to other professionals, including physicians and mental health clinicians.
On a day to day, a forensic psychiatric nurse might expect to encounter patients who have suffered a range of traumatic experiences or who suffer from specific psychiatric disorders. The nurses role is basically to screen patients and provide primary care, determining the next level of treatment required or in the patient's best interests.
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Career RequirementsForensic psychiatric nurses must hold a current and unrestricted license to practice as a registered nurse and they must also have a minimum of two years full-time equivalent practical experience as a registered nurse in order to practice.
They must also undertake a minimum of one year's clinical supervision to demonstrate competency in forensic psychiatry and usually it is beneficial for practicing forensic psychiatric nurses to have additional certification in the field of forensic psychiatry. Although it is not a requirement, masters degrees in nursing, with some specialization in forensic psychiatry or a related field is also beneficial.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center awards licenses to qualified forensic nurses and is the official source for more information about finding an accredited training course. The International Association of Forensic Nurses provides additional information about courses and certification in forensic nursing and forensic psychiatric nursing as a specialty. For more information contact the following organizations:
International Association of Forensic Nurses
www.forensicnurse.org
(856) 256-2425
iafn@ajj.com
American Nurses Credentialing Center
600 Maryland Ave., SW, Suite 100 West
Washington, D.C. 20024-2571
(800) 284-2378
American Nurses' Association
8518 Georgia Ave.,
Ste. 400,
Silver Spring, MD 20910
www.nursingworld.org
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Job OutlookIn the next decade, nursing will be one of the top 10 fastest growing professions in the United States according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Health care facilities will be looking to cut back on general costs so forensic psychiatric nurses may become the preferred alternative to more specialized medical professionals, including psychiatrists and mental health clinicians, whose professional credentials typically warrant higher salaries and thus put additional strain on the health care system.
The future looks bright in the nursing field, with the number of jobs for registered nurses expected to increase at a rate far greater than that of most other jobs in the next couple of years.
There has also been some discussion about dividing the field of nursing into professional nurses and technical nurses. This will distinguish between those who have four-year degrees and those who have associate degrees. Forensic nurses will be secure in the job market if such a distinction occurs as they are generally required to have the type of advanced training that will distinguish them as professional rather than technical nurses.
As the field of forensic nursing develops, there will certainly be increased opportunity for nurses to demonstrate leadership and to influence the direction of the field and in the specialist sub-field of forensic psychiatry.
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Career TrackSee Forensic Nurse
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CompensationSee Forensic Nurse
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