Some of Extension's Rising Stars

Athais Dubaie, Angela Geis, Kimberli Haas

Kimberli Haas, 33, of Tucson, Ariz., hopes to carve out a new position as a forensic nurse – treating the beaten, battered and wounded at the Level One Trauma Center where she now works as an intermediate care nurse.

Athais Dubaie, of Harrisburg, Pa., is hoping to combine her newfound forensic nursing knowledge with her experience as a surgical nurse to help detect abuse and neglect among her elderly patients.

Angela Geis, 48, of Houston, Texas, a practicing registered nurse for 26 years, is studying forensic nursing after a fascinating conversation with her sister-in-law's husband – a coroner.

They are different women, studying forensic nursing for different reasons. They live in different places in the country and work at different medical institutions. They have one thing in common, however. They all attend school at UCR Extension. Geis, Dubaie and Haas are online classmates in our online Certificate in Forensic Nursing program.

The online Certificate in Forensic Nursing program is designed to introduce nurses to the forensic aspects of health care and public service. Students study evidence collection and preservation, documentation and follow-up procedures as they relate to trauma, acts of violence, mass casualty incidents, sexual assault and human abuse.

"I've really enjoyed it," Dubaie said. "It helps me to become aware of what kind of abuse is out there. I've always been a patient advocate. Now that I know what I'm looking at, I can really be helpful."

Dubaie's co-workers now approach her for advice on their patients.

"I've been able to take everything in the course and apply it at work," Dubaie said.

Geis googled forensic nursing and the UCR Extension program popped right up. She was immediately attracted to the fact that an established university of the highest quality was offering such an online program.

Geis also liked the flexibility. She can sign up for courses when her time and schedule permit. She's not required to complete her program within a specific time constraint. She is taking classes from Janet Barber and Paul Clements.

"You've got two heavy hitters in the forensic community ... that I would not ordinarily have access to in Houston, Texas," Geis said.

The textbook is written by Barber and Virginia Lynch, the founder of forensic nursing as a scientific discipline.

In addition, the program's support staff has been extremely helpful, Geis said. "(Program coordinator) Jennifer Campbell is so sweet. She will absolutely do anything to help you," Geis said.

Campbell was instrumental in establishing Extension's online forensic nursing program. The program was built from the ground up with help and consultation from Faye Otto, president and owner of American Forensic Nurse, Inc. (AFN).

"We really took a leap," Campbell said. "We've made our own model. We're very flexible. There's no pressure."

The leap proved successful and soon after, Extension and AFN developed the online Sexual Assault Examiner (SAE) training program for medical professionals. Geis, Dubaie and Haas all said they intend to take courses in that program as well.

Haas said one of the advantages of learning online is that the students come from throughout the world and bring to the online classroom a wealth of experience that you might not find in a classroom literally down the street.

"Absolutely I am recommending this program to my co-workers," Haas said.

If you're a registered nurse and are interested in the forensic nursing or SAE programs, give Jennifer Campbell a call at (951) 827-5804 or visit www.extension.ucr.edu/hc.

We hope to see you on the other end of our computer terminal soon.

John F. Azzaretto
Vice Chancellor, Public Service and
International Programs; and
Dean, University Extension and
Summer Sessions, UC Riverside