Online Forensic Nurse Examiner Courses and Classes

Online forensic nurse examiner classes prepare students to provide emergency medical services, collect and preserve evidence, assist in legal proceedings and testify in court. These classes are usually part of the requirements for certificate, undergraduate and graduate degree programs. They might also be able to be applied toward professional certification.

Overview of Online Forensic Nurse Examiner Courses

For students who possess degrees relevant to the medical industry, online forensic nurse examiner classes can be found in a few master's programs, such as nursing or forensic nursing. Those with a science-based undergraduate degree and no medical background could gain advanced studies in the field through a master's program in forensic toxicology.
Registered and advanced practice nurses could use online forensic nurse examiner classes as requisite training toward the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) certifications offered through the International Association of Forensic Nurses. Nurse examiners can choose from SANE-Adult or SANE-Pediatric designations, depending on their area of specialization. Schools that offer online coursework geared toward these certifications could require some on-campus or clinical attendance. Other available certificate and undergraduate degree options with online courses include forensic nursing, clinical nursing, forensic science and guided care nursing.

General Requirements for Online Courses

Courses typically need high-speed Internet connectivity to view and download intensive graphics, medical diagrams and photographic content. Classes might also require video playback applications for streaming or recorded lectures. Internet phone and instant message programs are useful for classes with online conferences, laboratories and presentations. Some classes restrict enrollment for students with prior medical experience, such as doctors, registered nurses and physician assistants.

List of Forensic Nurse Examiner Courses

Basic Concepts in Forensic Nursing Course

This course introduces forensic nursing as a branch of nursing where practitioners routinely participate in legal and court proceedings. It teaches how to maintain and collect evidence while assessing physical conditions, providing emergency treatment and assisting at autopsies. The class also details the roles and responsibilities of various investigative and judicial personnel.

Psychology for Forensic Nurse Examiners Course

This class prepares students to assess the psychological needs and mental states of victims, suspected perpetrators and the families of both. It provides methods to analyze the social and cultural manifestations of violence, understand individual and community response patterns and recognize suicide risks. It also introduces psychological profiling. In addition, topics address the mental and physical needs of sexual abuse victims and survivors of fatal disasters.

Emergency Care for Trauma, Wounds and Poisoning Course

Individuals learn to identify, treat, report and testify on criminal and non-criminal emergency medical situations, such as stabbings, bites, burns, blunt force trauma, gunshots and poisoning. Students discover how to recognize symptoms of child, spousal and elder abuse. They also manage biological evidence, document events and protect privacy before the police are called, during the investigation and in court.

Emergency Treatment Course

Topics in this class specify emergency treatment protocols for the injured and wounded at accident and disaster sites. Individual lectures cover the nurse examiner's role as an advocate and impartial observer. Lectures teach techniques to protect both victim and perpetrator privacy while giving aid.

Evidence and Court Procedures Course

Students practice collecting evidence, maintaining chain of custody, determining relevance of material and interpreting evidence for investigations and legal proceedings. They learn to recognize and apply constitutional rights and guarantees to both victims and suspects. Students also review previously taped testimony to identify omissions, errors and discrepancies.