The International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) is an integral part of medicolegal nursing. In nursing, the need for healthcare that is linked to cultural and violent crime, sexual violence, or armed conflict is becoming an increasingly important aspect in choosing the type of intervention necessary for the patient. With a shift from nursing based on traditional medicine and intuition, nursing forensics have advanced in the use of evidence based practice in the profession, which has significantly increased health outcomes and made nursing care patient-centred ( Lynch, 2014) . The organization has brought together and made relevant experts whose relevance was initially unrecognized in fighting for justice in the global healthcare landscape .
IAFN accelerates physicians’ efforts to offer quality healthcare by providing a link between the community and hospital setting. When a patient shows up in a healthcare facility, they often seek to relieve their pain or get medical assistance without thinking that the doctor’s intervention could be destroying evidence that they need to get justice. Presence of forensic nurses ensures that both justice and medical interventions are timely ( Lynch, 2014) . Traditionally, forensics was thought to be a police role until IAFN proved the forensic nurses can offer the services professionally, without making the doctor’s work more difficult or delaying to attend to patients’ needs.
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Although crimes, values , and culture vary across countries, the IAFN strives to standardize procedures on handling of forensic evidence. IAFN ensures there is no back log of cases by assisting to support criminal investigators or help acquit wrongfully accused people ( Lynch, 2014) . Nurses being involved in forensics has also increased the public's willingness to be involved in forensic-requiring court cases, as the healthcare system is more trusted with the information that the justice system. Medicolegal nursing has also significantly contributed to finding justice for people who cannot hire lawyers to represent them in court through arguing their points, as medical evidence is treated as better evidence than claims.
Reference
Lynch, V. A. (2014). Forensic nursing science: Global strategies in health and justice. Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences , 1 (2), 69-76.
