Department of Emergency Nursing Research, Emergency Nurses Association, Schaumburg, Illinois.
J Trauma Nurs. 2022;29(1):12-20. doi: 10.1097/JTN.0000000000000627.
Forensic nursing is a specialty deployed in patient care areas, including emergency departments, intensive care units, labor and delivery suites, and psychiatric units treating persons who have suffered trauma from a violent or criminal act. The recognition of violence-related injuries in patients presenting to health care facilities is critical to an appropriate care trajectory. These patients require specialized resources beyond the treatment of physical injuries to include psychosocial and legal care that supports patient recovery and pursuit of criminal justice.
The purpose of this study is to obtain a broad view of current forensic knowledge and training for emergency nurses working in U.S. emergency departments and to identify gaps in nursing skills and practice such that appropriate education can be developed for this nursing specialty.
The study was conducted using a quantitative exploratory, descriptive approach via an emailed cross-sectional survey sent to a convenience sample of U.S. emergency nurses.
A total of 43,775 emails were sent out to members of the Emergency Nurses Association. Of that group, 2,493 recipients opened the email, and 1,824 completed the survey, resulting in a total response rate of 4% and a 73% response rate from those who opened the email. Few respondents self-reported competence in the care of patients who experienced child abuse (13.1%), elder abuse (12.4%), interpersonal violence (17.6%), sexual assault (19.2%), human trafficking (7.4%), developmental challenges (7.2%), strangulation (12.5%), or who were suspected of committing a violent crime (11.4%).
There is a compelling need to expand forensic education to advance knowledge and skill acquisition in emergency nursing practice and provide staff with additional resources that support a holistic trauma-informed approach to patient care.
法医护理是一种部署在患者护理领域的专业，包括急诊科、重症监护室、分娩套房和精神科病房，为遭受暴力或犯罪行为伤害的患者提供治疗。在医疗保健机构就诊的患者中识别与暴力相关的伤害对于适当的治疗轨迹至关重要。这些患者需要超越身体伤害治疗的专门资源，包括社会心理和法律护理，以支持患者康复和追求刑事司法。
本研究旨在广泛了解美国急诊科工作的急诊护士目前的法医知识和培训情况，并确定护理技能和实践中的差距，以便为这一护理专业开发适当的教育。
该研究采用定量探索性描述方法，通过向美国急诊护士的便利样本发送电子邮件横断面调查进行。
共向紧急护理协会的成员发送了 43775 封电子邮件。在这一组中，有 2493 名收件人打开了电子邮件，有 1824 人完成了调查，总回复率为 4%，从打开电子邮件的人中，回复率为 73%。很少有受访者自我报告在照顾经历儿童虐待（13.1%）、虐待老人（12.4%）、人际暴力（17.6%）、性侵犯（19.2%）、人口贩运（7.4%）、发育挑战（7.2%）、窒息（12.5%）或涉嫌犯有暴力犯罪（11.4%）的患者方面有能力。
迫切需要扩大法医教育，以提高急诊护理实践中的知识和技能获取，并为员工提供额外的资源，以支持对患者护理的整体创伤知情方法。
