[Forensic nursing: context, avenues for reflection, and challenges of an emerging practice]

Forensic nursing, or medico-legal nursing, is an emerging specialty at the intersection of health care and justice systems. Practiced in a variety of settings, from correctional facilities to the community, this practice raises important ethical issues related to the tensions between care, security, autonomy, and social control. Forensic nurses thus assume a paradoxical role, combining therapeutic and coercive functions while ensuring that the rights and dignity of those receiving care are respected.