Before the transition to remote learning, senior nursing and science students participated in a forensic simulation. The simulation was a collaboration between the College of Arts & Sciences’ Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Amanda Harper-Leatherman, PhD, and the Egan School’s Associate Professor of Nursing Linda Roney, EdD, RN-BC, CPEN, CNE. This immersive experience was designed for undergraduate nursing and science major students who have an interest in pursing careers in the health sciences. 

The simulation, which took place in January, allowed cross-collaboration with other departments and was true challenge for these students. “As nursing students, we were able to explore a part of nursing that we do not learn in the classroom. I think it was a great opportunity to learn about a topic that is applicable in all fields of nursing. Having simulation, enables students to learn in a safe and controlled environment. We are able to learn from our mistakes which ultimately makes us better nurses,” said Olivia Piccolo ’20.

“Our Forensics in the Health Care Setting extracurricular event made it possible for students to get a full picture of how a variety of professions work together to address crime-related questions enhancing student learning and experience in a relatively short period of time,” said Dr. Leatherman. “This event was an important and unique opportunity for nursing and science students to work together and learn what is relevant to both types of students.” 

The objective of the simulation was to give students the opportunity to care for patients in the clinical setting who are suspected victims of abuse or require forensic evidence collection by a nurse.

“Nursing students do not have the opportunity to care for these kind of patients in the clinical setting due to hospital policies. When they graduate, some students like those who work in an emergency department, will be expected to be participate in the collection of forensic evidence as part of their role as a registered nurse,” explained Dr. Roney. “This event provided the senior nursing students with the opportunity to learn from experts at Fairfield who have expertise in forensics science that they will be able to apply to their future professional nursing practice.” 

At the start of the simulation, the students were given an overview of forensic science, crime scene security and procedures, and forensic science in a healthcare setting. Students were then introduced to a simulated patient case in the Egan School Simulation Center where they gathered forensic evidence from the patient, which was then handed over to the Department of Public Safety as part of the chain of command. The evidence was then analyzed in the Bannow Chemistry Lab. Following the analysis, the students and faculty debriefed about the event.

Piccolo continued to share her positive feedback of the simulation: “My biggest takeaway was how much interdisciplinary collaboration happens in these scenarios. Nurses, chemists, and law enforcement were all apart of the simulation. Everyone had an important role in the simulation and without one the task at hand would not have been done.”