Course Description

NURS 411: Seminar in Forensic Nursing [3SH (3,0)]: Seminar to discuss current topics, trends and research related to forensic nursing. Prerequisite: Current and Valid RN License; Prerequisite or concurrent: NURS 410.

Key to Semester Hour Designation: 3 SH (3,0) = 3 Semester Hours
3 semester hours in lecture, 0 semester hours in lab/clinical
Each semester hour in lecture = 50 minutes contact
Each semester hour in lab/clinical = 3 hours (or 180 minutes) contact

Therefore, this 3-credit course would meet for three (3) 50-minute lecture periods and zero (0) hours of clinical hours per week over a semester.

In general, you should plan on spending 6 to 9 hours per week on the course. For a more detailed look at what each lesson entails, as well as due dates for assignments and activities, see the Course Schedule.

Overview

As the final course in the forensic nursing certificate, this course will provide space for us to converse about current events and roles in the field of forensic nursing. We will look at current research and issues facing forensic nurses. Due to the rapid growth in forensic nursing and the ever changing standards of practice it is paramount for a forensic nurse to keep stride with best practices. not only does the forensic nurse need to consider new advances in forensic nursing, but also that of law enforcement, the justice system, and laboratory procedures. The other part of this course aims to allow each student to make a connection with an agency or individual in an area of forensics for which they can see themselves working in the future. This is an opportunity to explore a role that you have gained some curiosity about over time. Through our discussions of current research and issues, we will look to expand our collective knowledge about forensic nursing and ready each of you to step out into the field ready to fulfill your role. The roles will vary and may include just an advanced knowledge to serve your current patient population better or in a specific forensic role. Either way, you will be ready for the challenge if you apply yourself in this course.

Topical Outline

• Current policy and practice trends in forensic nursing practice
• Forensic nurse code of ethics
• Regulatory agency requirements impacting forensic nursing
• Multidisciplinary collaboration and meeting forensic professionals in the community
• Career paths, education, and credentialing
• Legal and ethical issues
• Role in research to advance the field
• Continuing education considerations
• Creating of forensic nursing portfolio

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course you will:

• Synthesize knowledge from search discussed in the seminar to inform practice.
• Identify current policy issues in forensic nursing.
• Analyze ethical and professional considerations facing the field an discuss the potential impact on the profession as a whole and individual practice.
• Analyze evidence-based research in forensic nursing and related fields.
• Critically analyze the role of the forensic nurse in healthcare and private industry, criminal justice, community organizations, and law enforcement entities.

Evaluation Methods (Dependent on Site)

Evaluation methods may include quizzes, examinations, written assignments, simulations, reflective journaling, care planning, and mid-course and final clinical performance evaluations.

Required Course Materials

Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.

Technical Requirements

Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)

During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.

Additional Software

One of the benefits of being a registered Penn State student is that you are eligible to receive educational discounts on many software titles. If you are interested in learning more about purchasing software through our affiliate vendor, please visit the Buying Software section of the Course Materials page.

Technical Support

If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.

For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!

Course Requirements and Grading

The focus of this course is to apply everything learned throughout the certificate program into a culminating forensic nursing observation experience. Additional assignments and activities are provided throughout the course with all necessary details.

Observation Experience

Each student will seek an agency/institution/individual that agrees to work with you for 40 hours during this semester. The experience will allow you to make community connections in the forensic area while getting a feel for a forensic area you are interested in. Networking is very important in forensics because everything we do is interdisciplinary in nature and collaboration is the standard. It is also important to understand a role before signing on and this will give each of you the chance to do just that. Here are the steps you will take to complete this assignment.

Site approval and submission of the paperwork

• Lesson 1: Identify an agency/institution or individual to complete the 40 hours of observation.
• By the end of Lesson 3: Complete and submit the observation information sheet and signature page.
• Allow 10 days for review and approval. You will receive a reply of approval or suggestions to the submission.

Approval will be provided for sites/individuals that work in the field of forensics, law enforcement, coroner's office, the justice system, laboratories, and forensic nurses working in healthcare institutions or independent facilities.

Complete journals for each observation day

Each time you complete hours, you will be asked to submit a journal that answers the following questions:

• Day one question (or add if you rotate during your observation): What role are you observing and who are you observing?
• What forensic skills/duties/responsibilities were observed during this session?
• How do the skills of a forensic nurse benefit this position/job role/institution?
• What additional skills do you need to obtain to function well in this role?
• Describe the learning opportunities during your observation session.
• Last session question: How was this experience beneficial to your understanding and pursuit of forensic nursing?

You should be at least halfway done with your observation hours by Lesson 8. Your final journal is due by Lesson 14.

Grading Requirement

Students must achieve a letter grade of C or better (based on the College of Nursing grading scale) in both theory and clinical components of all nursing courses in order to pass the course and progress in the nursing program.

A student must achieve a minimal final course grade of [75% for UG and 83% for Grad] for successful completion of the course. Each individual examination score is reported to the hundredth place, e.g. 92.76 and not rounded up.  Only the final course grade will be rounded up.  A final course grade of X.50 will be rounded to the next highest whole number (example 72.50 = 73).  A final course grade of X .49 would not round up (example 72.49 = 72).

Academic Progression Policy

The Academic Progression policy delineates the academic standards for pre-licensure students (students without a RN license), who are admitted to the undergraduate nursing program. The policy states that all prerequisite courses may be repeated only one time and failure of two required nursing courses will result in dismissal from the nursing major. Read the details of the Academic Progression Policy in the RN to BSN handbook.

Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.

Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.

Assignment Policies

• Assignments and course discussions all have a due date for submission to the course instructor. The due dates for each are noted in the Course Schedule section of this syllabus, below. Please make every effort to submit assignments on time, or notify the instructor in advance of a late assignment. Late assignments will be penalized with a 10% grade deduction for each day late unless you have made prior arrangements with the instructor. Deadlines will be defined as 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time on the last day of the lesson timeframe, unless noted differently.


• If you know you will be offline the day an assignment is due, please make sure to post it early. Anytime you feel that you might be falling behind in the course, it is best to contact the instructor to discuss your situation. No assignments can be accepted after 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time on the final day of class. If you have an assignment completed by the deadline but are unable to submit to the drop box or post in the forum for technical reasons, contact the IT Service Desk. However, you must submit or post the assignment in the drop box or forum once that becomes available to receive your grade and feedback for the assignment.


• The College of Nursing uses the current APA Manual criteria for all written assignments.


• The articles that you are required to find for any assignments must be cited and must be current, meaning within the last five years.


• For activities where a written document is needed, you are required to use Microsoft Word to complete your activity. Once you have uploaded your file to an activity, it is a good idea to click the link to the file to make certain that it is viewable or accessible for downloading. For lengthy discussion posts, it is recommended that you draft your post using Notepad (PC) or TextEdit (Mac) and then copy and paste the information into your discussion. That way you will have a copy saved on your computer should anything go wrong!


• You will receive assignment grades and feedback privately within the specific assignment drop box or discussion forum. You can always check your grades through the Grades link on the left menu or through the gradebook on the Reports link.


• Please keep a copy of ALL your work. We cannot assume responsibility for lost items.

Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).

Make-up Exams

Make-up exams are only given for exceptional circumstances in nursing courses that have exams. Since exam dates are already specified in the syllabus, it is expected that students will adjust any scheduling issues they have to accommodate taking the exam. Recognizing, however, that one cannot plan to avoid or reschedule sickness, a family death, or a few other limited circumstances, make-up exams will be given at the discretion of the instructor. Make-up exams must be completed within one week of the missed event. The student must contact the instructor directly by phone or in person to make arrangements prior to the regularly scheduled exam period. The make-up exam will be equivalent in content covered and level of difficulty; however, the instructor reserves the right to alter the format of the make-up exam, i.e., to include short answers or essay questions. If a student should miss a schedule make-up exam, the student will receive a zero for the test. [Undergraduate Affairs Committee Approval--Fall 2011]

Academic Success Plan

The Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing Academic Success Plan is designed to support academic achievement. Students, in collaboration with the Academic Success Coach and the nursing faculty, are strongly encouraged to actively participate in the Academic Success Plan for theory and clinical components of this course. An Academic Success Plan can be initiated by the course coordinator, clinical faculty, academic adviser, or the student in conjunction with the Academic Success Coach for an examination grade <77%, clinical skill performance, or any other academic performance issues. For the purposes of the Academic Success Plan, an examination constitutes any assessment worth 10% or more of the final course grade. Participation in the Academic Success Plan is voluntary, and the student is responsible for the follow through and completion of the Academic Success Plan.

Course Schedule