Course Overview

This Ausmed Course provides healthcare professionals with an introduction to forensic healthcare with the aim to increase awareness of the need for greater skills and knowledge in this area in order to provide better outcomes for vulnerable patients' medico-legal needs.

Topics

• What is forensic healthcare?
• How to recognise an injury
• Vulnerable population
• Documentation
• Evidence collection and processes

Need

Trauma as a result of violent behaviour is a health problem across the globe. Emergency departments are increasingly providing care to growing numbers of patients who present as a result of violence. As a result, emergency healthcare professionals specifically, and healthcare workers generally, may find their role and responsibilities changing to involve the collection and recognition of forensic evidence and non-accidental injuries.

Purpose

Provide healthcare professionals with an understanding of the basic principles in forensic healthcare regarding the law, the needs of the justice system, and the signs of violence, abuse and neglect.

Learning Outcomes

• Use your understanding of the changing role of healthcare professionals in relation to forensics to enhance physical, psychosocial and legal care of patients.
• Identify signs and symptoms of violence, abuse and/or neglect in order to implement early interventions to reduce adverse outcomes for patients.
• Link best-practice guidelines with management strategies in order to provide appropriate support and treatment for patients who may require forensic interventions.
• Use your understanding of forensic terminology and legal processes to improve the collection of evidence while still respecting the patient's needs and meeting legal requirements.

Target Audience

Healthcare professionals working in any clinical setting. Those working with victims of domestic violence, children, older adults, and victims of crime who enter the healthcare system through emergency departments, may find this Course particularly useful.

Disclosure

No conflict of interest exists for anyone in the position to control content for this activity. Wherever possible, generic or non-proprietary names of medications or products have been used.

Educator

Linda Starr View profile

Dr Linda Starr (PhD) is an associate professor in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Flinders University. She has extensive experience as a registered nurse and in nursing and midwifery regulation through her previous role as Chair of the State Nursing and Midwifery of Australia Board and the SA practitioner member on the National Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Linda is passionate about the intersection between healthcare and the law, with a particular focus on the mandatory reporting of elder abuse.