The Purpose, Process, and Advancement of Forensic Nursing Standards.

Background: To strengthen the nation's use of forensic science and advance professional practice, forensic practitioners and scientists in the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) develop standards in forensic science. The Forensic Nursing Subcommittee was created by OSAC in 2021 to develop standards that improve patient outcomes through delivery of consistent practice guidelines, evidence-based techniques for preservation of evidence, and accurate representation of practice and examination findings.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to relate the history of forensic science standard development in the United States, discuss the rationale for forensic nursing standards, and describe the standards development process.