Registered Nurse (RN) - Forensic Nurse Examiner - St. Vincent Medical Center

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Scheduled Weekly Hours:

36

Work Shift:

Nights (United States of America)

Summary of Primary Function 
The Forensic Registered Nurse (RN) has a specialized education and training who, with increasing independence, utilizes the nursing process, current evidence-based clinical knowledge, and the International Association of Forensic Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice (ANA & IAFN 2016) to provide professional nursing care for patients across the life-span who have been affected by crime, unlawful acts, trauma, and intentional and unintentional harm. The Forensic Nurse integrates knowledge of nursing science, criminal justice, public health, and forensic science and utilizes a trauma-informed approach to assess the medical-legal needs of patients, collaborate with health team members to coordinate patient care, anticipate the outcomes of nursing interventions, and set criteria for the quality of patient care.

Essential Job Functions
• In collaboration with the interdisciplinary care team, conducts initial and ongoing patient assessment, analyzes assessment data, creates a plan of care, implements treatment, and evaluates treatment effectiveness and safety planning throughout the process and at discharge.
• Administers medications in a safe manner, consistent with the State of Practice and Bon Secours Mercy Health policies and procedures
• Serves as point of contact for patients' care coordination throughout hospital departments.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams composed of medical professionals, community and system-based advocates, social services workers, faith community leaders, law enforcement, and legal practitioners.
• Applies the nursing process to assess, diagnose, and treat individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations affected by violence and trauma, through identification, management, and prevention of intentional and unintentional injuries and death.
• Applies nursing practice to the care of individuals across the lifespan and integrates forensic and nursing sciences in the assessment and care of populations affected by physical, psychological, or social violence, trauma, or death including, but not limited to, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, human trafficking, physical abuse, maltreatment, and neglect, elder abuse and vulnerable persons, and violence resulting in injury or death
• Provides episodic care for populations affected by trauma, including those legally defined as victims, suspects, the accused, and perpetrators.
• Acts as a patient safety advocate by participating in ongoing quality improvement in the department.
• Assesses the need for and implements unit-based activities (quality assessment, in-services, etc.).
• Provides education to patients, staff, communities, and populations in the prevention, detection, and treatment of the effects of violence.
• Accepts responsibility and accountability for ethical/legal functioning.
• BSMH nurses are expected to practice and deliver care in accordance with the core concepts and intention of the BSMH Nursing Professional Practice Model.                                         

Licensing/Certification
Current RN license in state they are working or covered by compact (required)
BLS Basic Life Support (preferred upon hire, required to obtain from an approved source prior to providing direct patient care)
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Adult/Adolescent (SANE-A) - International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) (obtained in one year)
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Pediatric (SANE-P) - International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) (obtained in one year)

Education
Bachelor of Science Nursing (preferred)

Work Experience
2 years of RN experience (required)

Training
International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) didactic training for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner/Forensic Nursing program (obtained in one year)

Patient Population
Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his or her assigned unit.
Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development of the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interprets the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his or her age, specific needs and to provide the care needed as described in departmental policies and procedures.
Neonates (0-4 weeks)
Infant (1-12 months)
Pediatrics (1-12 years)
Adolescents (13-17 years)
Adult