Recognition, Collection, and Preservation of Forensic Evidence by Perioperative Nurses in Trauma Patients: A Scoping Review
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Background Trauma patients treated in the operating room may also be involved in a forensic investigation, particularly after firearm, sharp-force, penetrating, or blunt injuries. During their care, perioperative nurses may encounter clothing, projectiles, biological material, or other physical evidence that must be recognized and protected. Most forensic nursing reviews have examined emergency care or Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner practice. What is known about evidence management during surgery has not been brought together in the same way. Methods This scoping review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). PubMed, CINAHL Ultimate, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, and Google Scholar were searched from database inception to July 2026. TR Dizin and backward and forward citation searches were also used. Two reviewers independently screened records against Population-Concept-Context eligibility criteria. Results The search yielded 375 records (PubMed n = 37, CINAHL Ultimate n = 38, Scopus n = 54, Web of Science n = 36, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses n = 10, and Google Scholar n = 200). After 88 duplicate records were removed, 287 unique records underwent title and abstract screening. Twenty reports were assessed in full. Fifteen studies identified through database searching and one additional study identified through CitationChaser-assisted forward and backward citation searching met the eligibility criteria, resulting in 16 included sources. Conclusions Research on forensic evidence recognition, collection, and preservation has concentrated mainly on emergency departments, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner programmes, and forensic mental health settings. Perioperative forensic nursing remains under-researched despite the risk that evidence may be altered or permanently lost during surgical care. Perioperative-specific research, standardized evidence-preservation and chain-of-custody protocols, and integration of forensic competencies into perioperative nursing education and practice are needed. Trial and protocol registration The review protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF) on 21 July 2026 and is available at https://osf.io/7gkq9.
Source: Research Square
Authors: Burcu Özkan, Esra Eren
Institutions: Fenerbahçe University, Istanbul Medipol University
Language: English
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7205001908