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"In 1976-1977,
nurses as death investigators or medical examiner's nurse
investigators commenced in the ME's offices in Calgary,
Alberta in a program established by Dr. John Butt MD"
(Chief Medical Examiner of Alberta) (Lynch, 1993, p.7).
"Ten full
time investigators are employed at the Chief Medical Examiners'
office in Edmonton and Calgary. Their background is unique
in Canada since each must have a para-medical background
rather than an investigative qualification. Specialized
on-the-job training in medicolegal death investigation is
provided in the Edmonton and Calgary offices in addition
to formal training received at the University of St. Louis
in Missouri" (Stewart, 1984, p. 13).
"In 1977,
the Medical Examiners' Office in the Province of Alberta
Canada, came into effect, after passage in the Legislature
of the Fatality Inquiries Act'. This facilitated the adoption
of the Medical Examiners System for investigation of all
deaths which occur unnaturally, unexpectedly or cannot be
explained" (Stewart, 1984, p 13).
International |
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United Kingdom |
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United States |
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"Ever since
nursing was identified as a profession, nurses have been
encouraged and expected to assess the needs of society in
our ever-changing world, and to develop specialized areas
of nursing to meet those needs" (Cumming, 1995, p.
33).
"Forensic
nursing, although only recently recognized and named, has
been practiced by many for decades. As acknowledgments and
acceptance are gained and as certification in this nursing
specialty are developed, validation of the nurse coroner
can be realized" (Cumming, 1995, p. 33).
"Since the
nurse frequently is the first health care worker to encounter
living patients, successful arrest and prosecution of perpetrators
of crime and violence may depend on the nurse's recognition
of the problem and documentation" (Hoyt & Spangler,
1996. p. 31).
"When nurses
care for patients and identify, describe, document, collect
evidence and testify about phenomena they have witnessed
to law enforcement personnel or to the courts of law-nursing
now has interfaced with the legal system, and the nurse's
practice has become "medicolegal". When the term
medicolegal is used in cases concerning potential law violations,
the term "forensic" is used" (Hoyt &
Spangler, 1996. p. 24).
Focus Points
Reference
Cumming, M.F.
(1995). The vision of a Nurse-Coroner: A "protector
of the living through the investigation of death".
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 33 (5), 29-33.
Hoyt, C.A. &
Spangler, K. A. (1996). Forensic nursing implications and
the forensic autopsy. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and
Mental Health Services, 34, (10), 24-31.
Smith, P. (1997).
Angels of death. On the Edge, IAFN- Newsletter International
Association of Forensic Nurses, 3 (2), 1,3,14.
Stewart, K. (1984).
Work in the chief medical examiners office. AARN Newsletter,
40 (7), 13.
This is an historical article (I page) - not required.
- Note the author
of this article, this male nurse was a nurse death investigator
in Edmonton, Alberta, then later served as coroner in
the Yukon for a number of years and is now the nurse coroner
in British Columbia lower mainland.
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Topic
A - Forensic Medicine > Section A.2.0. Forensic Roles > Unit.A.2.2.
Forensic
Nurse Death Investigator
