As May unfolds, bringing with it National Nurses Week and the birthday of the one and only Florence Nightingale (born May 12, 1820), I can think of no better occasion to reflect on her lasting legacy—and her unique relevance to forensic nursing today. With admiration and a bit of poetic license, I’ve long mused that Nightingale wasn’t just the founder of modern nursing—she was also the very first forensic nurse.

In the war-torn landscape of the Crimea, in Scutari, in what is now considered the country of Turkey, Nightingale walked the bloodied, muddy barracks lit only by the warm glow of her lamp. There, she tended to men broken by violence—some victims, others offenders, and often, they were actually both. Imagine the young soldier forced to shoot another to survive. Is he the victim? The offender? Nightingale never differentiated. What she saw were human beings in need of compassionate, skilled nursing care. And that is exactly what she gave, without judgment, without hesitation.

She wrote letters home for them. She read letters from loved ones aloud. Many of these communications would be the last words these men would ever send or receive. Still, never once does her writing or biography suggest that she cared whether her patient had been “right” or “wrong” in the eyes of war. She didn’t look for sides—she looked for suffering and responded with care. That, my friends, is the very spirit of forensic nursing.

Florence Nightingale once said, “The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm.” That simple yet profound principle continues to resonate within forensic nursing today. Whether we’re treating a survivor of violence or someone awaiting trial, we are bound by the ethical imperative to preserve dignity, prevent further trauma, and uphold nonmaleficence in every interaction. Our care must never become a mechanism of harm—emotionally, physically, or legally.

Today, forensic nurses find themselves in similarly complex terrain. Whether working in hospitals, correctional facilities, courtrooms, or crime scenes, we too are called to care for both victims and those who may have caused harm. The ethical commitment remains the same: to provide trauma-informed, comprehensive, and objective care regardless of the role a person plays in an incident. In fact, like Nightingale, we often serve patients whose identities as “victim” or “offender” are blurred or evolving as facts, evidence, and forensic analysis continue to come to light.

Though our tools have changed—and with our lamps, perhaps replaced by the glow of smartphones, PDAs, and the light from electronic health records—the mission has not. We carry our “lamp” in spirit, illuminating the needs of the vulnerable with knowledge, skill, and empathy.

Nightingale once reflected, “Let whoever is in charge keep this simple question in her head (not, how can I always do this right thing myself, but) how can I provide for this right thing to be always done?” That leadership insight is especially relevant as forensic nursing continues to grow. We must create systems—education, policy, and practice environments—that allow the “right thing” to flourish even in the most challenging situations.

Nightingale’s wisdom continues to guide us in all we do. She also said, “Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses… we must be learning all of our lives.” This quote rings especially true for forensic nurses, where the intersection of healthcare, law, and trauma requires continuous growth, education, and adaptation. AFN surely takes this to heart, in light of the many webinars, bootcamps, and regional conferences that are provided to its members and the nursing community-at-large.

So, as we celebrate the birthday of the Lady with the Lamp, let us carry forward her unwavering dedication. Let us embrace the complexities of forensic care. And most of all, let us continue to evolve, learn, and serve—just as Nightingale would have wanted.

Until next time,

Paul Thomas Clements

PhD, RN, AFN-C, CGS, DF-IAFN, DF-AFN

AFN President

This President's Corner appeared in the May issue of Academy News, the monthly newsletter from the Academy of Forensic Nursing. You can subscribe here.