In a continually evolving landscape of forensic nursing practice, professional validation matters now more than ever. In this one-hour webinar, Dr. Deborah St. Germain will explain how certification helps elevate clinical judgement, documentation quality, and courtroom defensibility; impacts survivor trust and interdisciplinary credibility; and improves career mobility, leadership opportunities, and professional identity. St. Germain will also present an introduction to the new Sexual Violence Across the Lifespan Certification from the Forensic Nursing Certification Board—including details on its purpose and scope, how it differs from traditional credentials, and how to prepare for the exam. A Q&A session will give live participants the opportunity to ask more in-depth question and get guidance on preparing for certification pathways.

OBJECTIVES

• Explain the value of professional certification in forensic nursing and how it strengthens clinical practice, credibility, and survivor outcomes.
• Describe why accreditation is essential for ensuring quality, consistency, and public trust in forensic nursing examinations and training programs.
• Identify the purpose and benefits of the Sexual Violence Across the Lifespan Certification and determine readiness to pursue the credential.

PRESENTERS 

Deborah St. Germain, DNP, RN, AFN-C, IVSE-C, SANE-A, SANE-P is the 2025-2026 president of the Forensic Nursing Certification Board (FNCB), chair of the AFN Elder Abuse SIG, and an academic educator, retiring from one institution after 33 years, but now is a faculty member in the graduate program teaching forensic nursing at Texas A&M University. In her spare time, she works as a SANE with adult, adolescent, pediatric, and post-mortem patients. She is a member of the Louisiana Child Death Review Team, Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review Team, Louisiana Senate Child Abuse Investigations Task Force, and Co-Chairs the Louisiana State Nurses Association’s Nurses Against Trafficking Task Force. She earned her DNP from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 2008. For fun, she enjoys fishing, gardening, crafting, and playing with her four-legged friends, Coco Chanel, Kito, Rocky, and Kerry.

Enduring Modules - This module originated on 3/11/2026 and will remain available for CE credit through 03/30/2028

Criteria for Successful Completion:

Live attendees must join the zoom link via the LMS site, be logged in for a minimum of 90% of the session, and successfully complete the attestation and evaluation. Upon completion, a CE certificate for 1.25 contact hours will be awarded. 

Recordings of the live session will be made available within one week of the live date. 

Asynchronous attendees must utilize the LMS to obtain resource information (if available), view 100% of recording(s), complete all modules, and successfully complete the attestation and evaluation. Upon completion, a CE certificate for 1.25 contact hours will be awarded.

No relevant financial relationships exist for any individuals in a position to control content of this educational activity.

NOTE:

The Academy of Forensic Nursing is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.