Online Forensic Nursing Post-Master's Certificate

Advance your nursing skills and expertise in law and forensic science and earn your Post-Master’s Certificate in Forensic Nursing online. Gain the skills to collaborate with other professionals for the care of victims and prosecution of the perpetrators.

The purpose of the didactic course is to prepare nurses in the first step to SANE certification. A certificate of completion is awarded upon successful completion of the course. At that point, the nurse can move to the next steps of certification, which include completion of a preceptored experience.

When you earn a forensic nursing certificate, you can develop distinct expertise that prepares you to become a critical, meaningful part of assessing and investigating abuse and providing trauma-informed care to the most vulnerable populations.

In as little as one year, you can learn to apply forensic science to serve patients in many ways, from designing more effective care plans to providing medical analysis that can add to legal defenses. Upon completion, graduates emerge with advanced practice skills to help influence court decisions, shift health care policy and lead patients with complex cases toward recovery.

Program Information

Advance your nursing skills and expertise in law and forensic science and earn your Post-Master's Certificate in Forensic Nursing online. Gain the skills to collaborate with other professionals for the care of victims and prosecution of the perpetrators.

Degree

Certificate

School

School of Nursing

Duration

1-year

Required Credit Hours

15 (150 clinical hours)

Modality

Online

Admissions

Prerequisites

Admission Requirements

To qualify for our online PMC programs, you must meet the following prerequisites:

Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
Hold an MSN from an accredited college or university
Hold a current, unencumbered RN license
Complete an undergraduate or graduate-level statistics course with a “C” or higher

The faculty admissions committee may look more closely at nursing and science grades when making admissions decisions.

Process

Admissions Process

Resume or curriculum vitae
Professional goal statement
Official transcript(s)

Transfer Credit Policy

Transfer Credit Policy for PMC Forensic Nursing

A maximum of 9 graduate credits, completed within the past 5 years from a previously earned graduate degree, may be transferred.
A grade of “B” or higher is required.
The Advanced Standing Request form must be submitted during the admissions process for transfer credits to be considered.

Our Faculty Experts

Our Forensic Nursing faculty are leaders in advanced practice nursing.

Dr. Kathleen Sekula

Director and Faculty

Dr. Kimberly Kasper

Faculty

Ashley Stewart

SANE Faculty

Curriculum

View Course Descriptions

General Overview

Coursework for Duquesne’s online Post-Master’s Certificate in Forensic Nursing is designed to help you build upon the knowledge you gained while earning your MSN degree. You’ll learn how to effectively collaborate with legal and scientific experts in a variety of settings.

Required Courses

GNFO 517 Forensic Science and the Legal System 3 credits
GNFO 518 Criminal Law and the Courts 3 credits
GNFO 519 Advanced Forensic Nursing I: Theory and Practice 3 credits
GNFO 520 Advanced Forensic Nursing II: Program Development, Leadership & Policy 3 credits
GNFO 521 Forensic Clinical and Capstone 3 credits

Ask a Question

Do you have questions about the Post-Master's Certificate in Forensic Nursing program?

Manny Bravo

Enrollment Counselor

School of Nursing

Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the discipline of nursing’s distinct perspective and where shared perspectives exist use an intradisciplinary approach applying clinical judgment founded on a broad knowledge base from theory, research, arts, humanities and other sciences.
Distinguish and promote person-centered care that is holistic, compassionate, evidenced-based, and developmentally sound for individuals, families, communities, and populations in their cultural context for optimal healthcare outcomes.
Develop implementation and dissemination strategies to address the social determinates of health including population health, health equity, and health policy through collaboration with community stakeholders.
Identify, differentiate, and analyze evidence-based practice to improve health outcomes while embracing ethical concepts as a life-long learner.
Transform health care delivery through the development and implementation of quality improvement initiatives to mitigate risk and promote safety of the patient and health professionals.
Participate in the development of critical elements used in interprofessional, team based healthcare to address needs of a population with the purpose of increasing positive patient outcomes.
Organize and execute safe, quality, and equitable care to diverse populations while maintaining cost-effective, just, and responsible stewardship of multiple system resources.
Embrace various technologies and informatics in safe care and communication to patients, interprofessional team members, and other stakeholders to deliver safe care to diverse populations.
Demonstrate a professional approach in nursing through personal accountability to the individual, society, and the profession incorporating relevant laws, policies, and regulation while recognizing diversity, equity, and inclusion as core to one’s professional nursing identity.
Participate in leadership development activities that foster professional growth and encourage lifelong learning that demonstrate selfcare and reflection by maintaining health and wellness.

Accreditation

The Forensic Nursing Post-Master’s Certificate program at Duquesne University School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

(202) 887-6791
655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington DC, 20001

Online Forensic Nursing Post-Master’s Certificate