Forensic Nurse Job Description Template

Forensic nurses provide specialized care to victims of violent crime. These RNs collaborate with members of the criminal justice system to ensure that patients receive the dignity, respect, and compassion they deserve. If you’re looking to add one of these highly-skilled nurses to your team, crafting a well-written forensic nurse job description can ensure you pick a candidate who is qualified and equipped to handle the challenges of the position.

Before crafting your job description, be sure to browse local forensic nurse jobs to ensure your salary and benefits offerings are competitive. Once you’ve conducted background research, you can develop tailored forensic nurse interview questions to streamline hiring and ensure a fair candidate selection process. After these steps have been completed, it’s time to begin writing your forensic nursing job description.

Forensic Nurse

Tips: Forensic nurses, often called criminal forensic nurses or forensic nurse examiners, work in a variety of clinical settings, including:

• Emergency departments
• Doctors offices
• Police stations
• Public health clinics
• Correctional facilities

When looking at your job posting, applicants may be curious: How much experience are you looking for and where do forensic nurses work in your organization? Answer these questions early on in your forensic nurse job description to grab their interest and encourage them to read more. Be sure to highlight your team’s mission, vision, and values and showcase any awards and accolades awarded to your facility.

Template:

Want to use your skills and expertise to help victims of violence find justice? Here at [facility name], we’re looking to hire an experienced forensic nurse to join our team. As the leading Level I trauma center in the greater Houston area, we provide specialized care to adult and pediatric victims of trauma, abuse, neglect, and violence. We value compassion, empathy, and advocacy and pursue our mission of providing holistic, patient-centered care every day.

As a forensic nurse in our organization, you’ll work in our emergency department, located in our 635-bed acute care hospital in the heart of downtown Houston. We’re looking for forensic nurses who are highly skilled at completing thorough physical assessments and have at least two years of relevant clinical experience.

If this sounds like a position you’d be interested in, continue reading as we showcase our top-tier employee benefits, compensation offerings, and flexible scheduling options.

Benefits

Tips: In the next section of your forensic nurse examiner job description, it’s time to boast about your employee benefits and perks. Be sure to highlight a mix of professional, financial, and lifestyle incentives to appeal to a variety of candidates. Many nursing candidates look to work for organizations that prioritize work-life balance and a healthy work environment — be sure to help your position stand out by mentioning these perks.

Template:

• Competitive pay
• Health, dental, and vision benefits
• FSA/HSA options
• 401(k) matching and access to our pension program
• $4,000 annual tuition reimbursement
• Paid vacation and holidays, family leave, sick time
• Subsidized public transportation

Duties and Responsibilities

Tips: In this section of your forensic nurse job description, lay out the responsibilities and expectations of forensic nurses at your organization. Be sure to differentiate between these duties and those of a forensic nurse practitioner, as many facilities divide tasks between different members of the team.

Template:

Forensic nurses at our organization are expected to perform the following duties:

• Perform thorough physical patient assessments and document data in the EMR
• Provide compassionate care to victims of abuse, violence, and trauma
• Communicate with members of law enforcement about assessment findings and evidence collected
• Help coroners and medical examiners collect evidence on deceased patients
• Appear in court proceedings to present clinical findings

Compensation and Schedule

Tips: Some managers may be hesitant to post salary information directly to their job description. However, studies show that most candidates appreciate receiving clear compensation details early on in the application process.

Listing a forensic nurse salary range can save you time and effort down the line by attracting those whose salary expectations meet what you’re able to offer. Point out any scheduling or on-call requirements and be sure to highlight any opportunities for bonuses or overtime pay.

Template:

• Starting salary of $90,000, with adjustments made for relevant education and experience
• Full-time employment, working three scheduled 12-hour shifts per week (7a-7p or 7p-7a)
• 1 weekend (Saturday/Sunday) and 1 on-call shift (4p-8a) required per month
• Overtime, holiday, and incentive pay available
• Bi-weekly pay periods

Forensic Nurse Qualifications and Skills

Tips: When crafting a job description of a forensic nurse, it’s important to list the degree requirements, certifications, and clinical experience you’re looking for. Be sure to specify qualifications that are required versus those that are preferred to optimize your applicant pool.

Template:

Required Qualifications:

• Active and unencumbered RN license
• ADN required, BSN or MSN preferred
• 2 years of experience working in an emergency department or urgent care setting
• Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) course completion
• Strong communication and active-listening skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Generalist Forensic Nurse (GFN-C) Certification
• Previous experience working in law enforcement or the criminal justice system
• Bilingual in English and Spanish

Call to Action

Tips: Now that you’ve developed a high-quality criminal forensic nurse job description, it’s time to guide prospective applicants straight to the job application. Include a call to action button, labeled “Apply Now” or “Click Here to Apply” to attract them to the final stage of the process.

Template:

Ready to take the next step in your forensic nursing career? Begin today by clicking “Apply Now.” The entire application process takes less than 10 minutes. Feel free to reach out to our HR department at [email] with any questions. Thank you for your interest — we look forward to hearing from you!

Find Qualified Candidates Ready to Work

Writing an enticing forensic nurse job description is the first step to hiring a candidate with the compassion and skills for success. Organizations sometimes struggle to attract a pool of qualified candidates worthy of the job. By posting your vacant jobs to the #1 nurse hiring board, you can quickly appeal to over 1 million candidates ready to take on the challenge.