Keywords

Forensic nursing, medicolegal death investigator, sudden unexpected death, trauma, trauma-informed care

 

Authors

  1. Drake, Stacy A. PhD, MPH, RN, AFN-BC, D-ABMDI, FAAN

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Forensic nurses engaged in medicolegal death investigations experience trauma-induced responses in responding to, investigating, and documenting sudden unexpected deaths. The trauma of these repeated experiences often results in diminished performance, job dissatisfaction, and burnout. The principles of trauma-informed care are not new but have not been incorporated into death investigation practices. When coupled with medicolegal death investigation procedures, application of these principles can help to alleviate distress for forensic nurses, colleagues, and decedents of concerned families. This case series illustrates how the principles of trauma-informed care can be implemented to enhance communication, deescalate emotional or threatening situations, and prevent retraumatization in the context of medicolegal death investigations.