Forensic nursing has its foundation based on theories of nursing, forensic science, criminal justice, police science and legal studies. The assessment process then is to detect, and look for clues as to what is happening to the body.
The nurse then processes the evidence and applies forensic science. As a patient advocate forensic nursing plays an important role in providing medical and legal resolutions for the client.In such cases nurses need to be aware of normal and abnormal finding’s.
For instance a nurse needs to know what to look for in a child’s nutritional status. This could be height and weight, a child who falls under 5th percentile may be at risk for malnutrtion. Other factors to take into consideration when evaluating nutrtional status in children include; General observation of prominent cheek and clavicle bones, or wasted appearance.
A child may appear disoriented or have a flat affect. The skin can offer other clues to nutrition; such as bruising can indicate vitamin deficiencies; dry skin and poor turgor could mean dehydration. Other areas of the body that offer signs of nutrition status can be hair and nails for texture and color; the eyes and teeth condition .the upper and lower extremities for symmetry, size , and shape. The nurse during Examination must be able to distinguish abnormal and normal findings to be able to provide the proper plan of action.
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