Evaluation of teaching forensic nursing course on undergraduate nursing student's forensic nursing knowledge

Abstract

Background: the aim of the forensic nursing (FN) education is to provide nursing students with the basic knowledge of FN that they can use in the clinical area. Objective: the study evaluated the effect of integrating forensic nursing into the undergraduate nursing curriculum on 2nd- and 4th-year students' knowledge level of FN. Participants: The target population of this study was composed of 2nd- and 4th-year students in the nursing department at a foundation university in Istanbul. The study was conducted with 95 nursing students who agreed to participate in the study. Methods: the research was planned as cross-sectional and descriptive. The questionnaire form was developed with the help of literature by experts in the field. Each correct answer was scored as 4 points, and the total score could range from 0 to 100. Results: The average age was 21.64 +/- 1.16, and 66.3% (n = 63) was female. Out of the 95 students, 50.5% (n = 48) were in 2nd year, and 49.5% (n = 47) were in 4th year. A total of 47.4% (n = 45) of the students took a FN course, and 52.6% (n = 50) did not take FN course. The average level of knowledge for those who took FN course was 52.09 +/- 12.31 and for those who did not take FN course was 46.16 +/- 12.18. According to the status of taking FN course, a significant difference was found between the average level of knowledge (p < 0.05). Conclusions: these results emphasize the importance of integration of FN into the undergraduate nursing curriculum.