How To Become A Forensic Nurse: What It Is and Career Path

What is a forensic nurse and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Gloria Boseman Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a forensic nurse. For example, did you know that they make an average of $30.57 an hour? That's $63,589 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 195,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Forensic Nurse?

Gloria Boseman Ph.D.

Professor, New Jersey City University

Right now is a difficult time to begin as a new graduate, but the expectations of nursing have always been distant from the realities of the job. The beginning if of a nursing career can be challenging and emotionally taxing, but if you hang in there, it can be the most rewarding career ever. First, give yourself the grace of being a novice. You can't know everything the first day you arrive, be patient with yourself, ask for help, seek supportive people, and don't let the burnouts burn you, take notes, learn from your mistakes (mistakes are allowed). Time management is essential - practice self-care - take your breaks and your lunch, stay patient-focused and patient-centered, don't compromise; deliver safe, quality care. It's your first job, not your forever job.

ScoreForensic NurseUS Average

Salary

5.0

Avg. Salary $63,589

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

10.0

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 8.87%

Black or African American 11.76%

Hispanic or Latino 9.25%

Unknown 4.28%

White 65.40%

Gender

female 91.22%

male 8.78%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.1

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.8

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a forensic nurse

Explore forensic nurse education requirements

Most common forensic nurse degrees

Bachelor's

44.7 %

Associate

36.3 %

Master's

11.8 %

Start to develop specific forensic nurse skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	34.77%
Child Abuse	7.49%
Mental Health	6.73%
Comprehensive Care	6.55%
Forensic Evidence	5.83%

Complete relevant forensic nurse training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New forensic nurses learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a forensic nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real forensic nurse resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed forensic nurse usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed forensic nurse in most of states. 43 states require forensic nurses to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License Url
Alabama	Degree required	State exam required	Registered Nurse (RN)
Alaska	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse, Registered
Arkansas	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Registered Nurse (RN)
California	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse, Registered
Colorado	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Registered Nurse

Gain additional forensic nurse certifications

Forensic nurse certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific forensic nurse certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for forensic nurses include Certified Forensic Nurse (CFN) and Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC).

More About Certifications

Research forensic nurse duties and responsibilities

Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
Plan, provide, and monitor individualized nursing care and evidence collection to pediatric patients of acute sexual assault
Charge responsibilities for 3-6 CNAs.
Perform medical forensic exams on patients who have been sexually assault and provide care and follow-up education

Prepare your forensic nurse resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your forensic nurse resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a forensic nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Forensic Nurse Resume templates

Build a professional Forensic Nurse resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Forensic Nurse resume.

Apply for forensic nurse jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a forensic nurse job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do forensic nurses rate their job?

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Forensic Nurse reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019

Cons

Far to many things to mention but to be on your feet for 12 hours plus a stressful environment the job should be double in salary especially they save lives just like a policeman or fireman ! I could go on and I am a mother of a nurse !!