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A part-time Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) master's program that prepares nurses to work in the forensic nursing sciences has joined other Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHUSON) graduate programs in offering an online format.

This specialized focus prepares the graduate to work as a clinical specialist in a variety of areas including: emergency and acute care departments; sexual assault examination programs; child and/or adult protective service investigation units; psychiatric forensic treatment and evaluation units; and death investigation teams.

As with all Johns Hopkins CNS master's programs, the essence of education is directed toward creating clinical nursing expertise in diagnosis and treatment to prevent, remediate, or alleviate illness and promote health in a defined specialty population. According to Program Coordinator Daniel Sheridan, PhD, RN, students in this part-time forensic-focused program will be introduced to many major types of at-risk forensic populations. He notes, "Their expertise will be manifested in the care of clients—individuals, families, groups, and communities—who are survivors of: 1) child abuse and neglect, 2) intimate partner abuse, 3) elder abuse, 4) abuse of the developmentally disabled, 5) sexual assault, and/or 6) death investigation."

Sheridan adds that the program also emphasizes the CNS practices of:

• Translation of clinical expertise into nursing care provided either directly or by influencing nurses and nursing personnel through evidence-based nursing care standards and programs of care.
• Influences of systems – health care agencies, political systems, and public and professional organizations – to mobilize, change, or transform these systems to facilitate expertly designed nursing interventions.
• Creating quality, cost-effective patient-focused outcomes.

Applications for the new online program beginning in the fall of 2010 are now being accepted through August 1, 2010. Questions regarding curriculum and career opportunities may be addressed to Dr. Daniel Sheridan, Coordinator of the Forensic Clinical Nurse Specialist focus at 410-614-5301 or dsheridan@son.jhmi.edu. Students may be admitted during any semester.

Johns Hopkins Nursing also is exploring offering a post-bachelor's certificate in forensic nursing. If approved, the 12-credit hour certificate would be presented entirely online. If you have an interested in taking any post-bachelor's coursework in forensic nursing, please complete our short online survey at the above link.

SOURCE: Johns Hopkins Nursing