As we begin a new year, here is what I’d love to see more (and less) of in 2013:
1. MORE: emphasis on healthcare responses to patients that extend beyond sex assault. And with it, a better understanding of how many of these issues are intertwined (TBI and strangulation, domestic violence and child abuse or sexual violence, etc.) rather than a siloed approach to caring for forensic patients.
2. MORE: leadership development as a goal for program managers (it will benefit your whole team, I promise).
3. MORE: forensic nurses on Twitter (along with a greater and more conscientious Twitter presence by IAFN and other healthcare organizations that support our work).
4. MORE: high quality and ethical testimony–that is, testimony grounded in good research, not in wild speculation or worse, made up “facts”. It’s okay to be nervous on the stand, to stumble over words, or have to refresh your memory–it’s not okay to just make s$&t up.
5. MORE: thoughtful evaluation of what we hear at conferences: just because someone is given a platform to speak doesn’t mean it’s gospel. As with research articles, we must critically look at the content presented and the sources cited and decide whether we believe it’s quality information. Don’t just swallow it wholesale because you heard it at a conference.
6. MORE: starting with the fundamental belief that your patient is telling the truth. I hate to tell you this but this isn’t bias speaking, this is healthcare speaking. I can choose to believe every patient who walks in the door and still be objective. It’s called treating the chief complaint and this is how we roll in healthcare. I start my care by assuming what the patient is telling me is true; I may then identify red flags during the exam process that alert me that all may not be as it seems, but I don’t begin with an attitude of “prove it”. We don’t do that to patients who come in with chest pain or migraines or pelvic pain, and I’m not going to do it to assault or abuse patients either.
7. LESS: referring to the patient as a crime scene (a girl can hope).
8. MORE: sustainable practice decisions as the norm: investing in people, regular evaluation of staff, quality assurance measures and routinely reviewed policies and procedures, to name a few.
9. MORE: journal clubs! (More on this in the coming weeks)
10. MORE: guest contributors at FHO. I know you all are busy (and shy, because the ratio of private emails to site comments is staggering), but I would love to have a few other voices on here from time to time. We have a pretty large readership for such a niche site. Contributing a guest post is a good way to introduce your thoughts and ideas to a group of people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to hear from you.
Here’s to a peaceful and productive (and patient-centered) 2013. Happy new year everyone!