Many forensic nurses, or wanna-be forensic nurses, want the prestigious jobs to come their way at the drop of a hat. Just go to any forensic conference, and novices in forensic nursing dream out loud about starting their own businesses...hanging out their own shingles...before they've even obtained a modicum of education and experience.
Seasoned nurses also want the process to be easy, and many want to start making money as quickly as possible, and in some instances (for the very lucky) this dream becomes a reality. However, for the vast majority of nurses, this does not happen.
How DO you, as a forensic nurse, break into the forensic field? How do you start making any money at it? The truth is that a forensic business usually requires tons of networking, making contacts and establishing a name for yourself along the way. For many new to the business, getting the foot in the door comes with one simple word. "Volunteer."
Many years ago, I attended a forensic conference in which Dr Marcella Fierro (forensic pathologist) was speaking. I knew she was the Chief Medical Examiner at Richmond Virginia's Office of the Medical Examiner, and I'd always wanted to assist with autopsy. I approached her after the lecture and told her how much I would like to tour the ME office in Richmond. She gave me her card and told me to come anytime.
A few weeks later I took her up on the tour, and after we walked around the facility I asked her if I could perhaps volunteer at the morgue assisting with autopsy. I remember Dr Fierro looking me up and down, and asking me if I minded scrubbing floors and weighing bodies. I emphatically answered that I would be happy to do whatever they needed, and before I knew it, I was assisting the autopsy assistants with scut work on weekends. A couple of months later, one of the forensic pathologists asked an autopsy assistant to show me how to do the Y-incision on a body, and to let me assist them with the preliminary part of the autopsy...taking out the "block" (tongue, espophagus, lungs, heart...) It was one of the most exciting days of my life. I went from assisting the autopsy assistant to being the primary autopsy technician on a case, and I would ask the head autopsy technician for minor help when I got stuck or needed a fresh pair of eyes.
My point of this story is to reenforce that the "sweet" jobs don't usually come easy. Sometimes, if you are in the right place at the right time, or if you know somebody in the business, a job falls into your lap. Most of the time you have to work for it. But if you are willing to start at the bottom and learn the ropes, in most cases, the work will begin to come your way and you'll be given more opportunities to work in the area you'd like to. It also helps to be humble. Confident, but humble.
I recently moved to Ventura California two years ago. I'd approached the medical examiner twice to volunteer for autopsy, but the ME never contacted me back...essentially (non-verbally) telling me he wasn't in the market for volunteers. Just because I was unable to work with him didn't mean I stopped asking for volunteer work in other areas. The Ventura Police Department has just asked me to submit an application for their volunteer program, where (after I'm trained) I'll assist with fingerprinting and other scut work, and the LA Coronor's Office has taken my volunteer application for autopsy assisting and so I may be able to volunteer there on weekends. My overall take-home story is that if you want to break into the forensic world and actually work within the system, you are often going to have to pay your blood, sweat and tears first.
Keep in mind that of all of the professions, forensics and forensic nursing typically pays the least. Death Investigator saleries are anywhere from $25,000.00 to 48,000.00. Autopsy Technicians and/or Assistants have salaries ranging from $25,000.00 to $41,000.00. Both positions can be extremely difficult to break into, and many people stay in these positions for years. Other roles, such as legal nurse consultant (LNC) and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) are easier to break into, and often make better money, but the attrition rate is high because of the call hours and additional duties required such as testifying in court, etc.
Whatever route you choose to take, remember that for most professionals it requires a large degree of committment, tenacity and patience. If you are up to the challenge, and willing to donate a good chunk of your time in volunteer work, you may eventually get that foot in the door and find yourself working in a career that most people only get to watch on T.V. You'll have to decide if the minimal pay, and (sometimes) health hazards are worth it, but if you are doing what you love then in most cases it certainly is. Best of luck on your forensic pathway, wherever it leads you...
*****
*Disclaimer: This blog is solely the opinions and experiences expressed by the author and in no way reflects the opinions, policies or beliefs of the U.S. Government, the DoD or United States Navy.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The Face of Forensic Nursing in the Military...
As I left Montreal today, many thoughts weighed heavy on my mind. Foremost was the future of Forensic Nursing in the military.
Saturday, I attended a morning workshop on understanding ballistic patterns (entrance/exit wounds) in police shootings, whether they be self inflicted or police on suspect, or police on police. The speaker was a physician from Louisville Kentucky (Dr William Smock), who currently has four forensic nurses working on his staff. They contract with the local police department to assist in investigations of shootings when they occur. When he was done with his lecture, I was once again inundated with thoughts of what I already had instinctively known (and considered for years) in my military career. Military forensic nurses are a specialty that the Department of Defense needs to glean, grow, and utilize...not just for sexual assault cases (they currently refer most of their sexual assault cases out to civilian services)...but for other issues related to violence. Their expertise should be in every military treatment facility, and should be utilized for issues such as domestic violence, child abuse/assault, death investigation, aggravated assault and weapons assaults (to include shootings). I've pondered today why it is such a huge leap, and/or why the military seems unwilling to utilize such a viable amount of professional expertise. I think part of it is simply the unwillingness to believe in their own resources and expertise. To be sure, the military has strength in the fact that it can standardize it's medical-legal care, and even serve to be innovative and press forward with a profession that would put it on the map and simultaneously provide an answer to many of it's problems. Perhaps one day, the organization will take the leap. To be sure, my presentations seem to have fallen on deaf ears. They seem to slam flat in the face of 'chain of command'. Perhaps there just needs to be a champion. Someone at a higher level that can assist in these efforts. Until the military develops an expertise in clinical forensics and forensic nursing, and lets the profession grow... it will always fall short of its prevention and response programs.
*****
*Disclaimer: This blog is solely the opinions and experiences expressed by the author and in no way reflects the opinions, policies or beliefs of the U.S. Government, the DoD or United States Navy.
Saturday, I attended a morning workshop on understanding ballistic patterns (entrance/exit wounds) in police shootings, whether they be self inflicted or police on suspect, or police on police. The speaker was a physician from Louisville Kentucky (Dr William Smock), who currently has four forensic nurses working on his staff. They contract with the local police department to assist in investigations of shootings when they occur. When he was done with his lecture, I was once again inundated with thoughts of what I already had instinctively known (and considered for years) in my military career. Military forensic nurses are a specialty that the Department of Defense needs to glean, grow, and utilize...not just for sexual assault cases (they currently refer most of their sexual assault cases out to civilian services)...but for other issues related to violence. Their expertise should be in every military treatment facility, and should be utilized for issues such as domestic violence, child abuse/assault, death investigation, aggravated assault and weapons assaults (to include shootings). I've pondered today why it is such a huge leap, and/or why the military seems unwilling to utilize such a viable amount of professional expertise. I think part of it is simply the unwillingness to believe in their own resources and expertise. To be sure, the military has strength in the fact that it can standardize it's medical-legal care, and even serve to be innovative and press forward with a profession that would put it on the map and simultaneously provide an answer to many of it's problems. Perhaps one day, the organization will take the leap. To be sure, my presentations seem to have fallen on deaf ears. They seem to slam flat in the face of 'chain of command'. Perhaps there just needs to be a champion. Someone at a higher level that can assist in these efforts. Until the military develops an expertise in clinical forensics and forensic nursing, and lets the profession grow... it will always fall short of its prevention and response programs.
*****
*Disclaimer: This blog is solely the opinions and experiences expressed by the author and in no way reflects the opinions, policies or beliefs of the U.S. Government, the DoD or United States Navy.
Friday, October 21, 2011
The 19th Scientific Assembly: Forensic Nursing in the 21st Century 2011
From 19-22 October 2011, approximately 476 forensic nurses and physicians met at the Hyatt Regency Montreal Hotel in Montreal/Quebec Canada.
This trip really began, for me, after landing around 10:30PM at the Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal. I was taken in a taxi, by "Mahmud" (originally from Lebanon, but who had come here as a reporter 37 years ago, and has one daughter who has borne 4 grandchildren...) to my hotel at the Travelodge across from the Hyatt. The Travelodge was half the cost of the Hyatt, and this conference was already beyond my budget.
The following are lectures/presentations I've attended the past few days:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
The morning keynote address by Helene Berman, RN, PhD was titled "Context Matters: Trajectories of Violence in the Lives of Girls".
Dr Berman's presentation was sobering in terms of considering how our North American culture continues to affect violence in our society. Movies, T.V. shows, Video Games inundate us with violence, desensitize us and depict acts of violence toward young girls, teens and older women. In her talk today, she discussed "gendered socialization", and how our culture needs to pay attention to the problem of violence in our communities. Her talk highlighted what most of us are already aware of, but brought the issue to the forefront. As she closed, she discussed the roles we, as forensic professionals, need to pay attention to methods of violence prevention in our society. What remains crystal clear, however, is that there is no distinct path, no easy road, to changing North American culture. There is no quick fix, no single answer, in order to solve this problem. The goal among all forensic nurses should be to become more involved in government/legislation, and work within local communities to educate communities concerning violence. The multilevel strategies we use to get there will hopefully not only leave long-lasting footprints for years to come, but blaze a pathway for a better world in the future.
Sessions I attended:
All in all, the conference has been both exhausting and invigorating. The time spent rising early in the morning coupled with jet lag and a few beers the night before, along with long hours sitting and listening to interesting presentations...still has taken a toll on my body. But the connections, the meeting of old friends and new, the stories and backgrounds of such wonderful professionals is enough to galvanize any said 'under-achiever' into action.
'Under-achiever' was a phrase I've heard often at the conference, although I think that anyone who's convened at this professional forum is far from an 'under-achiever'. Whether ADN/LPN, RN, NP or PhD/MD, each person is here to absorb information, share information, and each one is actively seeking ways to make valuable contributions to their communities in terms or violence prevention and/or response. Instead of professing (even jokingly) to be underachievers compared to our peers, let us each smile and simply congratulate each other on our activities and recognize those around us for their great efforts. Each of us makes our own contributions, whether seemingly great or small in society...and we never know the impact the slightest action may make. So be humble, all, and also know your self worth, and continue to make the world a better place one fingerprint, one footprint, one bit of trace evidence at at time.
~Cin
*****
*Disclaimer: This blog is solely the opinions and experiences expressed by the author and in no way reflects the opinions, policies or beliefs of the U.S. Government, the DoD or United States Navy.
This trip really began, for me, after landing around 10:30PM at the Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal. I was taken in a taxi, by "Mahmud" (originally from Lebanon, but who had come here as a reporter 37 years ago, and has one daughter who has borne 4 grandchildren...) to my hotel at the Travelodge across from the Hyatt. The Travelodge was half the cost of the Hyatt, and this conference was already beyond my budget.
The following are lectures/presentations I've attended the past few days:
Wednesday:
- Assessing Drug Ingestions: Toxidromes and Toxicology
- Do Come Over, Someone Has Killed Father (The Crime Scene Discussion of Lizzie Borden)
- The Coroner's Inquest: The Impact of Death Investigation on Prevention
- Motor Vehicle Collision Investigation and Reconstruction: Role of the Forensic Nurse
Thursday:
- Implementing a Clinical Forensic Nursing Program: Beyond the Obvious
- Bridging the Gap to Excellence. A Holistic Approach to Forensic-Medical Care in Military Treatment Facilities
- GHB Addiction
- Forensic Nurses Performing QI Studies in Forensic, Criminal Justice, and Investigative Settings
The morning keynote address by Helene Berman, RN, PhD was titled "Context Matters: Trajectories of Violence in the Lives of Girls".
Dr Berman's presentation was sobering in terms of considering how our North American culture continues to affect violence in our society. Movies, T.V. shows, Video Games inundate us with violence, desensitize us and depict acts of violence toward young girls, teens and older women. In her talk today, she discussed "gendered socialization", and how our culture needs to pay attention to the problem of violence in our communities. Her talk highlighted what most of us are already aware of, but brought the issue to the forefront. As she closed, she discussed the roles we, as forensic professionals, need to pay attention to methods of violence prevention in our society. What remains crystal clear, however, is that there is no distinct path, no easy road, to changing North American culture. There is no quick fix, no single answer, in order to solve this problem. The goal among all forensic nurses should be to become more involved in government/legislation, and work within local communities to educate communities concerning violence. The multilevel strategies we use to get there will hopefully not only leave long-lasting footprints for years to come, but blaze a pathway for a better world in the future.
Sessions I attended:
- Scene Investigations: Evidence Recognition, Protection and Documentation.
- Blending Forensic Nursing and Army Public Health Nursing to Aid in Eradicating Interpersonal Violence
- Confronting Youth Gangs as a Forensic Nurse
- (My own presentation): Interpersonal Safety of U.S. Military Women in the Deployed Environment of Afghanistan: A Grounded Theory Approach
All in all, the conference has been both exhausting and invigorating. The time spent rising early in the morning coupled with jet lag and a few beers the night before, along with long hours sitting and listening to interesting presentations...still has taken a toll on my body. But the connections, the meeting of old friends and new, the stories and backgrounds of such wonderful professionals is enough to galvanize any said 'under-achiever' into action.
'Under-achiever' was a phrase I've heard often at the conference, although I think that anyone who's convened at this professional forum is far from an 'under-achiever'. Whether ADN/LPN, RN, NP or PhD/MD, each person is here to absorb information, share information, and each one is actively seeking ways to make valuable contributions to their communities in terms or violence prevention and/or response. Instead of professing (even jokingly) to be underachievers compared to our peers, let us each smile and simply congratulate each other on our activities and recognize those around us for their great efforts. Each of us makes our own contributions, whether seemingly great or small in society...and we never know the impact the slightest action may make. So be humble, all, and also know your self worth, and continue to make the world a better place one fingerprint, one footprint, one bit of trace evidence at at time.
~Cin
*****
*Disclaimer: This blog is solely the opinions and experiences expressed by the author and in no way reflects the opinions, policies or beliefs of the U.S. Government, the DoD or United States Navy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)