title: Clinical forensics for perioperative nurses.
abstract: Perioperative nurses frequently care for victims and suspected perpetrators of violent crimes. Nurses often are the first health care providers to assess the trauma patient and collect crucial evidence for future legal action. Informational evidence includes observations about patients' behavior and appearance and documentation of their comments. Nurses also must protect the chain of evidence so that evidence can be admissible in court. To function in this role, perioperative nurses must understand the concepts of clinical forensics, which is the application of the principles and practices of forensic science to questions of law in the investigation of violent crime.
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Muro
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Easter
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004282:Documentation / Q000592:standards; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D009871:Operating Room Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000592:standards; D014754:Violence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology