New College of Nursing program prepares registered nurses to deliver high-quality medical forensic exams and survivor-centered care.
UNT Health Fort Worth’s College of Nursing has launched a no-cost Forensic Nursing Microcredential to train registered nurses how to provide specialized medical forensic care to survivors of sexual assault and interpersonal violence. The microcredential, which launched in February, equips these nurses with trauma-informed knowledge and clinical skills to care for adolescents and adults impacted by sexual assault, intimate partner violence, strangulation and other forms of interpersonal violence.
The program is supported by an expected $1.5 million federal grant awarded in 2024 by the Health Resources and Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funding, distributed over three years, allows UNT Health to offer the program at no cost to participants and expand access to forensic nursing care across North Texas and beyond. The grant also provides a $5,000 award toward tuition for UNT Health’s Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Master of Science in Nursing degree programs. “Expanding access to forensic nurses strengthens both patient care and justice processes,” said Jenny Black, BSN, RN, SANE-A, director of forensic nursing. “This microcredential removes many of the barriers that prevent nurses from completing certification and entering this critical field.”
Demand for the program has grown quickly. Spring cohorts filled rapidly, and a waiting list continues to grow as nurses across the region seek specialized forensic training. The grant supports 20 participants each cohort, and UNT Health plans additional summer cohorts. Leaders in the College of Nursing say the program addresses long-standing barriers that have made forensic nursing education difficult to complete. “Access to a qualified forensic nurse can make an enormous difference for survivors seeking care after violence,” said Cindy Weston, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CHSE, FAANP, FAAN, founding dean of the College of Nursing. “By providing a structured, supportive pathway to certification and removing cost barriers, UNT Health strengthens the forensic nursing workforce across Texas.”
The need for trained forensic nurses remains significant. More than 16,000 sexual assaults were reported in 2023 to law enforcement in Texas, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. In Tarrant County, officials reported more than 12,700 sexual violence offenses between 2019 and 2023. Despite that need, only about 550 nurses statewide hold certification as Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners for adult and adolescent patients — far too few to meet the needs of Texas’ large population and rural communities, Black said.
The Forensic Nursing Microcredential blends in-person learning, online activities, simulation and clinical practice. Participants complete approximately 160 hours of training, including didactic instruction, high-fidelity simulations, courtroom testimony preparation and supervised clinical preceptorship.
Through the program, nurses develop skills in trauma-informed patient care, medical forensic examinations, strangulation assessment, evidence collection, collaboration with law enforcement and victim advocates, and courtroom testimony.
Nurses interested in enrolling or learning more about upcoming cohorts can visit: www.unthealth.edu/college-of-nursing/certficates-and-microcredentials.html
UNT Health holds joint accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and the American Nurses Credentialing Center to provide continuing education for the health care team. Nurses may earn up to 43 contact hours, and the 43-hour didactic portion of the microcredential also holds approval from the International Association of Forensic Nurses.
The views expressed in this news release are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
About UNT Health UNT Health Fort Worth is located in the heart of the Fort Worth Cultural District. UNT Health trains the health care providers, public health workforce and scientists of the future in an interprofessional ecosystem. Through its six colleges—Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, College of Public Health, College of Health Professions, College of Pharmacy and College of Nursing—students learn to work in teams and develop an innovative mindset that prepares them for a rapidly changing health landscape. UNT Health Clinical Practice Group, the clinical enterprise of UNT Health, provides patient-centered care to people across Tarrant County. UNT Health’s research enterprise provides a foundation to expand the frontiers of scientific discovery to improve health and well-being.
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