Prosecutor Preference for Forensic Nurse Testimony: Outcome of Expanding a Forensic Program

Abstract

IntroductionThe objective was to evaluate the impact of using forensic nurse examiners for patients with trauma on prosecutors’ preference for testimony in criminal court. MethodsA retrospective chart review of a database of 562 subpoenas received from January 2012 to December 2017 was conducted for patients with trauma seen in a level 1 trauma center with a comprehensive forensic nursing program. ResultsThe prosecutors’ preferences in 453 of the 562 subpoenas received by the Forensic Nurse Examiners program involving a patient with trauma were analyzed. The prosecutors preferred the use of the forensic nurse examiner alone in 441 of the 453 cases (97.4%), with a decrease (100% to 2.7%) in preference for physicians testifying in criminal court after the expansion of our forensic nursing program compared with previous years before the program expansion. DiscussionThe quality of the expanded Forensic Nurse Examiner program was validated by an increased prosecutor preference for forensic nurse examiner testimony in criminal court as the program matured over the years.