Academy of Forensic Nursing - Bell Work Talks

In this Bell Work Talk, Ben McLean discusses results from the first large scale prospective study evaluating sexual assault survivor experiences with the police. Survivors in our study received SANE care in one of 12 sites across the country. Survivor experiences with police were assessed at 6 weeks. We found that roughly ¾ of survivors were interested in speaking with the police, most survivors s...

In this Bell Work Talks, Kalen Knight discusses how the hospital-based forensic nurse examiner program he works for incorporated response to workplace violence events into their services, including a program centered on responding to employees assaulted by patients and/or visitors while performing their duties, as well as initiating an employee assistance program aimed at helping colleagues experi...

In this Bell Work Talk, we examine emerging trends linking online pornography exposure to a rise in problematic sexual behaviors among youth, including child-on-child sexual assault, strangulation, and escalating sexual violence. We will explore how increasingly aggressive and accessible online content is shaping sexual scripts and contributing to vulnerabilities around online exploitation. Throug...

In this Bell Work Talk, Nancy Blaney and Claire Coughlin of the Animal Welfare Institute will discuss the relationship between child abuse and animal abuse, which frequently occur in the same homes. Given the special role that pets play in providing both emotional and social support to children, witnessing or being forced to participate in animal abuse is especially traumatic. Asking questions abo...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. Ashleigh Bowman will introduce the key components of a business case, including calculating a return on investment (ROI). Forensic nurses should be able to articulate business components of the program and justify program costs for long-term sustainability. This podcast will help listeners begin thinking about the business model for their program to use in discussions w...

In this Bell Work Talk, Sarah Galgano from the Geiger Institute, creators of the Domestic Violence High Risk Team (DVHRT) model will discuss the origin, four core components, goals and lessons learned from the more than 80 communities that have implemented the model. Typical team membership, including the critical role that Forensic Nurse Examiners play will be discussed. Sarah is a Senior Project...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. Jamie Lewis Saye discusses her team’s pilot study comparing blind swab and speculum-assisted evidence collection during sexual assault forensic medical examinations. She highlights how both methods yield similar rates of Y-screen positivity and CODIS-eligible DNA profiles, underscoring the potential of less invasive approaches to improve survivor participation in eviden...

In this Bell Work Talk, Nancy Blaney and Claire Coughlin of the Animal Welfare Institute will discuss the connection between human and animal welfare and implications for the practice of Forensic Nursing. By incorporating questions about animals into their work, practitioners can identify people and pets at risk, positively impact service engagement, and make the most of available resources. Clair...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. Barol will help us to reach past the overshadowing diagnosis of autism to talk about how to respond to the neurodiverse/autistic child who has experienced trauma. Dr. Barol has devoted the past 49 years to serving and supporting individuals with intellectual, developmental, and neurological differences (ID) who have experienced trauma and, as a result, often exhibit cha...

In this Bell Work Talk, Rachel Lapp will discuss harm reduction as it pertains to Forensic Nursing Practice. Rachel is a forensic nurse from Chicago, Illinois. She has been a registered nurse for 11 years. Her background is in emergency and trauma nursing. She began her journey into forensic nursing 7 years ago when she decided to become a sexual assault nurse examiner. Rachel is a board-certified...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. Vela will discuss risks and issues experienced by children that face homelessness. She will explain suitcase living and treatment leading to a hopeful mindset with an emphasis on trauma informed care. She will give examples of how to add hope to the interactions that forensic nurses have with patients. Dr. Christina Vela, CEO of St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, has 20+ ye...

In this Bell Work Talk, Antoinette discusses the critical intersection of mental health and non-fatal strangulation in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV). Drawing from the latest research, this episode highlights how strangulation is often an overlooked yet severe form of violence that leaves lasting physical and psychological effects. Antoinette also discusses the importance of enhanc...

In this Bell Work Talk, Kory will talk about addiction and how it is a very stigmatized disease. In his last podcast, he defined addiction, neurobiology of addiction, discussed brain failure, and how the cravings of addiction change our body. He will now discuss the harm reduction strategies and treatment for substance use disorder. Addiction can happen to anyone, and we must really learn the scie...

In this Bell Work Talk, we talk about Forensic Nursing in Switzerland. History, current situation and an outlook into the future. - Hints on how to implement Forensic Nursing - The importance of Networking to implement Forensic Nursing - Obstacles in implementing a new nursing specification - Get an overview how Forensic Nursing is developing in Switzerland or other European countries My name is D...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. Dahl-Jacinto explores the critical issue of youth suicide, emphasizing the growing need for individuals to take an active approach in understanding, assessing, and intervening. The discussion focuses on how to ask about suicide, practical tools for assessing risk, recognizing risk and protective factors, and creating safe, supportive environments for youth experiencing...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. O’Briant will discuss that violence and abuse in rural America is exacerbated by limited access to support services for victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) due to family connections with people in positions of authority, geographic isolation, transportation barriers, stigma of abuse, lack of available shelters and affordable housing, poverty as a barrier to care,...

In this Bell Work Talk, bitemark analysis in sexual assault and child abuse cases will be discussed. The standards and protocols involved will be covered. James Frizzell attended McGill University in 2019 for a degree in dental forensics. The Quebec Provincial police (Surete du Quebec) also trained in forensic photography. Received education also from Detroit Morgue (Wayne Co. Medical Examiner Cen...

In this Bell Work Talk, Kory will talk about addiction and how it is a very stigmatized disease. Before we can start to treat patients with addictions, we must first learn how it works and why our patients act the way they do. In this podcast, I will define addiction, the neurobiology of addiction, discuss a new concept of brain failure and also discuss cravings that addiction causes. Kory Scheide...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. Debby Herbenick will discuss recent research focused on strangulation during sex among a group of college-age students. She will discuss the role of pornography, social media influence, prevalence, and health consequences. Dr. Debby Herbenick is an internationally recognized sexual and reproductive health professor, researcher, and educator. For more than 20 years, she...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. Annette Cannon discusses her role as an elected coroner in her community. Dr. Cannon shares how her vast experiences as a nurse prepared her for the role of coroner and what a day in the life of a coroner looks like. Natalie Evenson has a background in Trauma, Emergency, and Critical Care. She has been a SANE nurse since 2005 and is currently the SANE Program Coordinato...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. Stern will discuss that animal abuse is commonly encountered and there is a well-known link between violence against animals and other types of interpersonal violence including domestic violence, elder abuse, and child abuse. This podcast gives a brief overview of how the veterinary forensic sciences are used to investigate these crimes against animals. Dr. Adam Stern i...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. Clements discusses what happens to the families of people who go missing and are never found. How can anyone manage to “carry on”, when they have no idea what has happened to their child? When your child has disappeared and you are not even sure if they are just missing, somewhere alone and suffering, or already dead, how do you cope? As heartless as it may seem, life a...

In this Bell Work Talk, Hillary Benanzer, data analyst at TAT, will discuss the realities of human trafficking; the role of key industries and agencies in the anti-human trafficking movement; and how individuals can fight this crime as professionals and as community members. Benanzer completed her master’s degree in criminal justice at the University of Cincinnati, with a concentration in law enfo...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. Bhattarai discusses the impacts of mindfulness practices on forensic nurses. This podcast offers a range of practical tools that forensic nurses can incorporate into their daily clinical practices and personal lives. Dr. Bhattarai is a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Nursing at Texas A&M University. She has an academic background in nursing, psychology, and rehabili...

In this Bell Work Talk, Dr. Francine Bono-Neri, who is the Co-founder and President of Nurses United Against Human Trafficking, will discuss the vital work of this professional association and how the need is dire to get Anti-Human Trafficking Training into not only state mandated continuing education, but its incorporation into prelicensure nursing education. She will discuss the massive intersec...