FORENSIC NURSING AND SECURITY FORCES: CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HEALTH AND JUSTICE

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Forensic nursing represents a strategy that integrates health units with the public security system. Given the increase in violence rates, this specialty is becoming increasingly relevant, especially due to the need to preserve evidence with high legal value. In the Brazilian context, the importance of providing humane care to victims and identifying injuries that can support the maintenance of the chain of custody stands out. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the role of forensic nursing in the context of integration with public security and to identify the challenges faced by these professionals. METHODOLOGY: This is an integrative review, with a qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory approach, carried out through the analysis of scientific articles published online, in English and/or Portuguese, from 2021 to 2026. Twenty articles were selected, of which 10 were used because they addressed forensic nursing in the context of urgency and emergency. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: It was evident that forensic nursing plays a crucial role in the triage and documentary recording of victims with injuries, contributing to the preservation of evidence that may be fundamental to the progress of the chain of custody. Furthermore, these professionals provide humanized care. However, they still face difficulties, such as the absence of protocols that standardize the evidence collection process, since inadequate collection can compromise the validity of the evidence in the judicial process. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that there is a need for public policies that promote the training of these professionals and the creation of protocols that standardize the actions of forensic nurses throughout the national territory. The role of the forensic nurse is fundamental, since this professional provides support to victims of violence and contributes to the preservation of essential evidence for the judicial process.