A practical guide to prevention for forensic nursing

Area of Science:

• Forensic Nursing
• Public Health
• Violence Prevention

Background:

• Interpersonal violence (IPV) is a significant public health issue in the US, impacting numerous women and incurring substantial healthcare costs.
• Current forensic nursing practice primarily focuses on evidence collection and acute care for violence victims.
• The
• Upstream Adage
• parable offers a framework for identifying proactive interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential for forensic nurses to engage in "upstream" prevention of interpersonal violence.
• To identify how forensic nurses can expand their roles to include primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies.
• To highlight the impact of forensic nursing in IPV prevention beyond direct patient care.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis using the "Upstream Adage" parable.
• Examination of forensic nursing scope of practice.
• Identification of potential intervention points for IPV prevention.

Main Results:

• Forensic nurses are well-positioned to implement upstream interventions targeting various risk levels.
• Expanding practice to include community and individual-focused prevention is feasible.
• Proactive engagement can influence IPV rates and outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Forensic nurses can play a crucial role in the primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of interpersonal violence.
• An expanded "upstream" focus for forensic nursing can lead to significant positive influences on IPV.
• Integrating prevention into forensic nursing practice offers a novel approach to addressing this pervasive issue.