About the CFN program:
Forensic nursing is an exciting and rapidly growing specialty field that offers great opportunities and rewarding career options for nursing professionals. However, it can be challenging to set yourself apart from your peers to get the recognition and respect you deserve, both in the medical community and the legal arena.
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What the CFN program does for you:
The Certified Forensic Nurse (CFN) designation can demonstrate to a nursing professional’s colleagues, patients, clients, employers, and the health care community that he or she has an extensive base of knowledge and education, direct professional experience, and a commitment to continuing education and excellence within the forensic nursing profession. The CFN designation can also help contribute to the weight and relevance of the Certified Forensic Nurse’s testimony and the applicability of the evidence that the nurse presents in a court of law.
What are the requirements?
To become a Certified Forensic Nurse, CFN, a candidate must meet all eligibility criteria as established by the
ABFN and ACFEI. CFN candidates must
complete the CFN application form and clinical experience validation form, submit all required documentation and fees, and successfully pass the certification examination. To be eligible to participate in the CFN examination, a candidate must:
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Hold a current, full, and unrestricted license as a registered nurse (RN) in the United States or its territories or hold a license as a first-level general nurse in the country/jurisdiction of current practice. Candidates who are not licensed in the United States or its territories must have successfully completed a post-secondary nursing education program (as defined by that country) that included classroom instruction and clinical practice in the five major areas of nursing: medical, surgical, obstetric, pediatric, and psychiatric. In this case, a transcript documenting nursing education will be required from the candidate’s nursing education program for validation purposes.
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Have practiced for a minimum of 5 years as a registered nurse in the United States, or as a first-level general nurse in the country of licensure.
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Have successfully completed a formal didactic educational program in forensic nursing. This may include a 3-hour undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate course (or equivalent hour-based education course), including a minimum of 40 contact hours in the core areas of forensic nursing. Please send certificate(s) of completion. If you have not met this requirement, please call ACFEI at 800-423-9737 for available forensic nursing courses.
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Be an ACFEI member in good standing.
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Have supervised and documented clinical experience in any area of forensic nursing practice.
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Provide two professional references on the CFN application.
How to Apply:
ACFEI members have
two options on taking the CFN course and exam:
Live Instruction Course and Exam. The most valuable way to earn the CFN designation is by attending the CFN training course at an ACFEI National Conference. The course features two full days of classroom instruction, followed by the comprehensive exam.
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Online Exam. The most convenient way to earn the CFN designation is to enroll for the exam online. Applicants may take the online exam provided they have fulfilled the requirements stated above.
How to maintain the CFN designation:
Individuals are expected to complete 15 hours of forensic-related continuing education credits per year to maintain their CFN status. The initial CFN course provides 15 CE credits, fulfilling this requirement.
Future CEs may be earned through
ACFEI’s National Conferences and journal learning articles from
The Forensic Examiner provided on our
online course catalog.
Other sources may can be submitted to ACFEI by using the
CE Reporting Form for CFN (PDF).
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Click here to enroll online
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Click here to register for the next national conference