Forensics in the Fall : Trauma-Informed, Evidence-Based Practice for Emergency and Forensic Nurses (NJENA, Jersey Shore Chapter Fall Education Day)

Forensics in the Fall is a one-day, live, in-person continuing nursing education activity presented by the NJENA Jersey Shore Chapter for emergency nurses, forensic nurse examiners, advanced practice nurses, nurse educators, and their multidisciplinary partners. The activity addresses identified practice gaps in forensic nurse examiner (FNE) activation, the legal blood draw in impaired-driving cases, the role of specialized forensic resources such as search and rescue K9 teams, interactions with law enforcement in the emergency department, forensic injury identification, and objective forensic documentation. Through expert-led presentations, case-based discussion, and an applied documentation exercise, participants will strengthen the knowledge and skills required to deliver timely, trauma-informed, evidence-based forensic care and to produce complete, objective, and legally defensible health records. The overall goal is more consistent, standards-based forensic nursing practice across emergency departments and forensic programs in the Jersey Shore region.

1. Identify at least three clinical or situational criteria that warrant forensic nurse examiner activation and describe the appropriate activation and referral pathway within their own practice setting.
2. Describe the role of medical-forensic evidence collection and specialized search and rescue K9 resources in the investigative process, and identify at least two ethical or patient-centered considerations related to their use.
3. Apply the legal authority, consent, specimen-handling, and chain-of-custody requirements of the forensic blood draw to a suspected impaired-driving case scenario, and distinguish a clinical alcohol result from a forensic whole-blood result.
4. Describe the institutional and legal requirements governing law enforcement presence, information requests, and evidence release in the emergency department, and identify at least two situations that require escalation to institutional policy or risk management.
5. Identify and objectively describe at least three forensic injury characteristics, including location, size, color, shape, and pattern, using a case-based documentation exercise.
6. Revise a sample forensic chart note to demonstrate objective terminology, clear chronology, accurate patient quotations, complete injury description, and appropriate evidence-handling documentation.

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences and New Jersey Emergency nurses Association (NJENA), Jersey Shore Chapter. Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

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