NCJ Number
220800
Journal
Journal of Forensic Nursing Volume: 3 Issue: 3 & 4 Dated: Fall/Winter 2007 Pages: 117-125
Date Published
2007
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the global effort to develop an effective, collaborative response to violence; explores the role of forensic nursing with this context; gives an overview of Germany’s crime statistics, legal confines, and recent policy developments; and describes research related to nursing education, recruitment, and retentions rates in Germany.
Abstract
Violence remains a public health challenge and the nursing profession accepts this challenge by expanding its field. Although countries such as the United States, Great Britain and Canada have employed forensic nurses for decades in different capacities, but Germany has yet to follow their lead. The international nursing community is encouraged to take an active role in supporting the establishment and implementation of a forensic nursing specialty in Germany. German scholars are encouraged to incorporate forensic nursing into the curricula, and to collaborate with international nursing scholars in formulating detailed course objectives as well as offering practical experiences for their students. International scholars should offer a “train-the-trainer” program, hosting German nursing instructors to offer skills as they relate to the care of forensic clients. International forensic nursing experts might further provide valuable input in developing evidence-based research of forensic clients and cases; German nurses educated in forensic nursing might also answer the global call to prevent violence. This report discusses German health care and legal systems, and the challenges Germany faces to develop an innovative, cost-efficient, and competent profession of forensic nursing. This report offers suggestions for an integrated approach on the part of global forensic nursing professionals to support the incorporation of forensic nursing into German nursing practices, primarily focusing on forensic nursing responses to violence against women. References