AFN National Conference
Virtual Conference
Advancing the Global Practice of Forensic Healthcare
November 6–7, 2025
Coming Soon!
CONFERENCE AGENDA
16:30–17:30 ET
Prepared to Care: Designing an Orientation for Forensic Nursing Excellence
Presenter:
Erin Aschman, Alexis Clendenin
Summary:
The Forensic Nurse Examiner Program at (name of organization) trained hundreds of Forensic Nurses. (name of organization) is the busiest Level 1 Trauma Center in the state of xxxxx), with the forensic nurse team seeing over 200 patients per month. As a comprehensive Forensic Nurse Program, we see all patients affected by violence. Through several iterations, the leadership team has developed a structured orientation composed of multiple blocks and learner objectives to train the novice forensic nurse. Content is divided into themed segments to allow for subject immersion. This 8- to 12-week orientation engages multi-modal learning targeting learners of all styles—using auditory-supported presentations, informal leadership videocasts, hands-on skills training and mock scenarios, structured checklists to ensure timely completion, competency assessments, and dynamic SMART goal setting. Also factored into orientation are intentionally designed preceptorship pairings based on learning and personality styles. Ongoing education and support for preceptor competency and resiliency is a key component and includes bi-monthly meetings and the creation of a lead preceptor role. During this presentation the comprehensive orientation process will be thoroughly described. Materials and format details will be shared with attendees with time for Q&A from the speaker panel to answer burning questions. This orientation process is adaptable and transferable to established or burgeoning programs alike. Attendees will leave equipped to implement a robust orientation process within their organization to progress forensic nurses along the novice-to-expert continuum.
Continuing Education Disclosure
Purpose:
The purpose for the conference is two-fold. First, nurses, forensic nurses, and other health care providers need current, evidence-based education at the novice and the advanced level in order to promote innovative application of practice and research in the multidisciplinary work with victims of violence across the lifespan. Second, novice and expert forensic providers need opportunities to highlight and share their innovative EBP. To meet this purpose, novice and expert presenters from the U.S. and Internationally – four U.S. regions (East, Central, Mountain, Pacific/Alaska/Hawaii) and international – were chosen for this two-day conference.
Criteria for Successful Completion:
Participants will attend live on November 6 & 7, 2025. Recordings will be available one week after the live session and will be available for asynchronous viewing through February 7, 2026.
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Participants will need to attend a minimum of 90% of each presentation session that they wish to obtain credit for and complete an attestation/verification statement of attendance.
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Upon completion of live date attendance, a CE certificate for up to 12.25 contact hours will be awarded. This is commensurate with participation.
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Live and asynchronous attendees will be confirmed by combination of Zoom attendance reports and attestation statements. Completion of a post-attendance survey is also expected.
Disclosures:
There is no relevant financial disclosure with ineligible companies for any program planner or presenter involved with this activity.
The Academy of Forensic Nursing is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development with by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.