Learn To Understand Gunshot Wound Evidence

Saturday, March 1, 2014

(NAPSA)—TIf the idea of pre- serving justice appeals to you or someone you know, a new educational opportunity may be just what you need. That’s because the nation’sfirst Forensic Gunshot Wound Evaluation Program is now available through the Galen Center for Professional Development. Many would say it’s about time. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, nearly half a million Americans are victims of a crime committed with firearms every year. The course, endorsed by the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN), was de- veloped by renowned forensic science expert Dr. Bill Smock. The IAFNis offering continuing education credits to nurses who participate in the program. “In untrained hands, evidence can be inadvertently destroyed, lost or misinterpreted,” explained Dr. Smock. “From this course, participants will learn not only how to apply clinical forensic medicine to the evaluation of gunshot wounds, but the importance of it for victims of gun violence and the communities in which they occur.” Studies have indicated a critical need for training and education of trauma personnel in an effort to improve outcomes of evidence collection in health care facilities and other settings. These misinterpretations and misclassifications—often due to poor documentation or mishandlingof evidence—can have a devastating domino effect in legal proceedings. The course is designed for law enforcement personnel and nurses, but can be a critical resource for emergency medicine and trauma physicians, prosecutors, crime scene investigators, coroners, fire- fighters and EMTs/paramedics. The program can help participants develop an increased understanding of the importance of recogniz- At a newkind of forensics course, nurses, law enforcement personnel and others can learn about gunshot woundsand proper evidence collection. ing and preserving evidence on emergency room patients, deter- mining entrance and exit wounds and range offire, learning the lat- est techniques for investigating officer-involved shootings, and understanding wound ballistics and woundpatterns. Participants will be better able to recognize evidence and work in conjunction with law enforcement officials. “This expertise is imperative not only to preserve the judicial integrity of evidence to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in the legal systems of our cities and states, but in the delivery of justice,” said Dr. Smock. Called Clinical Forensic Evalua- tion of Gunshot Wounds, the course offers a unique 40-hour educational experience in two parts: a 24-hour self-paced online course and a two-daylab practicum at the Galen College of Nursing’s state-ofthe-art, high-fidelity simulation center in Kentucky. Together, they cover evidence recognition, collection and preservation protocols, wound documentation, shell casing and bullet comparisons, exit and entrance wound examination, tra- jectory determination, gunshot wounds in domestic violence and more. Learn more at www.galencen terpd.com.

--- PHOTOS ---

File: 20190731-161049-20190731-161047-84209.pdf.jpg

--- FILES ---

File: 20190731-161047-84209.pdf