SS-2009
FORENSIC NURSE DEATH INVESTIGATORS (FNDI)
Basic Concepts and Responsibilities of Death Investigation Incorperating Nursing Concepts, Knowledge and Skills
(An Introductory Course)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to introduce the student to the basic concepts and foundations of forensic nursing and integration of those concepts into the role of the forensic nurse death investigator. Principles of death investigation and application of nursing knowledge and skills into the role will be discussed. The student will analyze the relationship between the nursing process and death investigation to discover links between the two roles and how to best integrate the concepts of both roles into an effective process. As a conclusion to this course, the components of the death investigation process will be described and discussed.
AUTHORS' BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Meliss Vessier-Batchen, DNS, RN, CFN is a certified forensic nurse beginning her nursing career after graduation with her ASN from Louisiana State University Medical Center in New Orleans, LA in 1991. Her education continued at the University of South Alabama where she completed her RN-to-BSN degree in 1993 and returned to embark on a master's degree in nursing education three months later. Dr. Vessier-Batchen began teaching at Charity School of Nursing/Delgado Community College in New Orleans, LA in 1994 while working on her master's degree, which was completed in 1995. Her clinical specialty was critical care until 2002 when she became interested in forensic nursing and death investigation. This interest led to secondary employment as a forensic nurse death investigator with the local coroner's office. The phenomena observed by Dr. Vessier-Batchen inspired her to begin a doctoral program in 2002. In 2005, Dr. Vessier-Batchen became a certified forensic nurse. After some interference from Hurricane Katrina, she received her doctor of nursing science degree in 2007 focusing her research on coping and symptoms of complicated grief in survivors of homicide and suicide decedents. Dr. Vessier-Batchen has worked as a nurse academe since 1994 and a forensic nurse death investigator since 2002 using her experiences from both roles as the catalyst for her doctoral research. She is an assistant professor of nursing at Texas A&M University-Texarkana working with RN-to-BSN and graduate students. She is an active member of IAFN and ACFEI.
Deborah Keller St. Germain, DNP, RN, CEN is a certified emergency nurse, forensic nurse, and legal nurse consultant. After completing her BSN in 1985 at Murray State University in Murray, KY, she moved to New Orleans to begin her nursing career in the intensive care unit and emergency department. In December 1990, she completed her Master's in Nursing as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, at Louisiana State University Medical Center (LSUMC), specializing in parent-child nursing and staff development. After graduation, she began teaching full time in the undergraduate nursing program at LSUMC, which she continues to do presently. In 2002, Dr. St. Germain became interested in death investigation and became a reserved death investigator at a local coroner's office, under the direction of Dr. Vessier-Batchen. This year, she graduated with her doctorate in forensic nursing from the University of Tennessee. She completed a year-long residency in child abuse at a local children's hospital, with a team of pediatricians specializing in forensic medicine. Her residency project focused on training nurses in the medical evaluation of abused children. She is actively involved in the International Association of Forensic Nursing.
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this course, the student will be able to:
Discuss fundamental principles of death investigation.
Compare and contrast the forensic nurse death investigator, (FNDI), with the traditional nursing role, including practice settings, investigative processes, communication, and documentation.
Identify nursing metalanguage (formerly nursing metaparadigm) within forensic nursing death investigation.
Explore the application of nursing knowledge to death investigation.
Analyze the relationship between the nursing process and death investigation.
Describe the components of the death investigative process.
WHO MAY TAKE THIS COURSE
Registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses and other licensed healthcare professionals.
PREREQUISITES
There are no prerequisites for this course.
AVAILABLILITY
Upon Demand
CONTACT HOURS
10-Continuing Education Hours
DURATION
This course is self-paced; however, all course requirements must be completed within 6 months of enrollment.
PRESENTATION METHOD
This online course is presented in a downloadable PDF format and may include media files, (student may be required to download free corresponding media players.) Course content format may also include assignments, case studies, multiple choice and/or true or false statements.
TEACHING METHOD
This is a downloadable self-paced home study course. Interim key point prompts are included throughout the course to highlight and reinforce vital information. The Multiple-Choice course examination will be taken online after completion of all other course requirements.
METHOD OF COURSE GRADING
Pass/fail grading system. Course examination is multiple choice with a passing score of 70%. When a score of less than 70% is received, the examination may be taken one time without charge. For further information regarding additional retakes of the examination, contact amerforensi@linkline.com
METHOD OF COURSE EVALUATION
After successful completion of the course study and examination with a passing score of 70%, an evaluation shall be completed and submitted to amerforensi@linkline.com
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Upon completion of the course study, examination with a passing score of 70% and evaluation, the student will receive a Certificate of Completion via email.
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS
All readings have been incorporated in the coursework materials.
SUGGESTED COURSE MATERIALS
There are no suggested course materials.
OTHER RELATED COURSES
Chain of Custody, An Introduction to General Crime Scene Investigation, The Sexual Assault Examination: Adult and Adolescent, Pediatric Sexual Assault Forensic Nurse Examiner Training Program, Advanced Crime Scene Investigation, Documentation and Communication: Forensic Issues for Healthcare in the Digital Era, Forensic Evidence Collection in the Clinical Setting, Forensic Evidence Collection in the Emergency Department, Identification of Patterned Injuries
COURSE FEE: $159.00 (or US equivalent)
Note: Upon receipt and processing of course payment, the student will receive an email with payment confirmation, link to the course PDF file, online examination and evaluation.
All courses and materials are based on United States laws and regulations unless otherwise noted. Laws vary from state to state.
Click Here for course payment and registration
Note: Automatic registration occurs when paying for course
