title: The challenges forensic nurses face when their patient is comatose: addressing the needs of our most vulnerable patient population.
abstract: Since 1996, the American Nurses Association has recognized forensic nursing as a formal specialty. Despite this recognition, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners and Emergency Department nurses struggle with incorporating evidence collection into the care they give the unconscious or comatose patient they suspect has been sexually assaulted. Through case example, this article provides an abbreviated review of the circumstances under which these patients present for care, current challenges, and barriers in upholding the standard of forensic nursing care, as well as proposed interventions for the practicing forensic nurse.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Nurse Examiner Program, Memorial Health System, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. jpw4n6rn@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pierce-Weeks
authors.forename: Polly
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000575:American Nurses' Association; D015984:Causality; D003128:Coma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D053604:Forensic Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011902:Rape / Q000175:diagnosis; D013038:Specialization; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D014481:United States; D035862:Vulnerable Populations