Framing nursing practice within a forensic outpatient service

The role of the outpatient forensic nurse is evolving as a specialized area of nursing practice in the community. Nurses must have comprehensive knowledge of the patients, keen intuition, and sound judgment in the continuous clinical assessment of the criminogenic factors that help determine the patients' level of risk. In addition, it is crucial to know and understand the court system, the process of the ORB, and the implications of the disposition order. The comprehensive, client-centered care provided by the Forensic Outpatient Service encompasses multifunctional and complex roles and responsibilities and clearly demonstrates the importance of the forensic outpatient nurse in working with this group of patients.