ASN for Domestic Violence Nursing
Unfortunately, in this day and age, domestic violence is an issue that some people have to deal with. When domestic violence started to emerge, the focus was on helping victims escape their abusers. As we continue to learn more about the issue, the focus has also expanded to learning how we can help victims of abuse, health services, and housing among other things. Nurses can play an important role in this area.
Becoming a Domestic Violence Nurse with an Associate of Science in Nursing
For those interested in a nursing career that specializes in domestic violence nursing (sometimes called forensic nursing), you should earn your Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Regardless of your specialty, an ASN or BSN is necessary if you want to become a registered nurse. Similarly to other degree programs, once graduating with your ASN or BSN you should take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) in order to be able to being working.
Once you pass, you may be able to work as a domestic violence registered nurse. If you want to take one more step, you may choose to become trained as a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) and take the forensic nursing certification exam, which is a voluntary examination.
Associate of Science in Nursing and Domestic Violence Nurse
Nurses can play an important role in domestic violence, especially in working to inform their community of what may go on behind closed doors. Keeping people educated, and creating awareness is very important to this issue.
Domestic violence nurses may work in many different settings:
- Emergency rooms in hospitals
- Clinics or advocacy groups
- Schools
According to payscale.com, a domestic violence nurse may make anywhere from $25/hour to almost $100/hour. Similar to many careers, salary may vary depending on education, geographic location, and experience. Positions may be limited, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, may be one of the fastest growing professions.
