Forensic nursing in Bolu, Turkey: a survey

Forensic nursing is generally considered to be the application of the forensic aspect of health care combined with the bio-psychosocial education of the registered nurse in the scientific investigation and treatment of trauma and violence. In 1990 the term forensic nursing was established in the USA and has been developing in many countries as a subdivision of forensic sciences a nursing since. The first masters thesis with the subject of forensic nursing was written in 1997 at Istanbul University, Institute of Forensic Sciences. The aim of this survey is to outline the approach to forensic nursing by nurses in the province of Bolu, Turkey, and to determine the influence of education at undergraduate level and continuing education programs lectured in Istanbul. In this study, a questionnaire has been applied at random to clinical nurses and nursing educators, a total of 101 participants. 11 out of 18 questions, has also been compared with results acquired from Istanbul in 2002. The results were defined using SPSS and Primer statistics software. The results of this research revealed, that no formal training/education in clinical forensics has been received. It is suggested that formal education programs have to be developed at both, undergraduate and postgraduate levels, providing initial and continuing education.