Application of forensic practices: social representations of forensic nurses

OBJECTIVE: to understand the social representations of forensic nurses regarding the feelings involved in their professional practice. METHOD: a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study, supported by the Social Representation Theory analytical framework, conducted through online semi-structured interviews between April and May 2023 with 22 nurses specializing in forensic nursing from across Brazil. The interviews were subjected to content analysis, as proposed by Bardin, with the support of the Qualitative Data Analysis Miner® software. RESULTS: five categories emerged from the data analysis: Fulfillment of professional ethical duty; Sensitivity to perceive what is not said; Enabling citizens to take protagonism in their own lives; Happiness in contributing to justice and society; and Personal and professional development. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: the social representations of forensic nurses reveal a practice anchored in ethical, humanitarian, and social justice values, strengthening professional identity and a sense of mission. Sensitivity is highlighted as a core competency, guiding humanized care and the interpretation of nonverbal signs of suffering. Forensic practice is perceived as an instrument for the reconstruction of autonomy and social transformation, integrating technical, emotional, and social dimensions, and legitimizing forensic nursing as an autonomous and socially relevant field.