Portugal Specialist Nurse Advances Prehospital Forensic Evidence Preservation

A master’s thesis from Universidade de Évora details the development of specialist nursing competencies for preserving trace evidence of suspected crime in pre‑hospital environments. The work, conducted within the Medical‑Surgical Nursing programme, describes training undertaken both in a hospital emergency department and aboard an Immediate Life Support ambulance of the Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica. Using a evidence‑based practice change model, the author reflects on field experiences and a scoping review to propose protocols that enhance the role of specialist nurses as agents of forensic preservation during emergency care.

The study emphasizes the importance of systematic evidence collection, documentation, and hand‑over to investigative authorities, arguing that such practices can improve the integrity of crime scene material while maintaining high standards of patient care.