I wanted to stop by, as the Course Chair for the Forensic Certificate Program Online, to extend my welcome and greetings. The forensic courses tend to be very exciting, including thought provoking educational material and subsequent lively discussions [Victimology, paired with NURS 533: Forensic Mental Health, and, NURS 519: Foundations of Forensic Science, comprise those needed to make application for the certificate. If you are interested, please contact your Academic Advisor for more information]. 

I am certain you will enjoy the Victimology course, as Dr. Fay-Hillier (Dr. F-H) is an outstanding forensic clinician and educator. Dr. F-H and I have worked together as colleagues in the psychiatric and forensic areas of healthcare for over the past 25 years. For example, this is a photo from a trip to Bolivia in 2011where Dr. F-H and I traveled with a team of healthcare consultants, with various clinical backgrounds, from Drexel CNHP. As the two forensic healthcare clinicians, our role was to work with forensic psychologists, public DAs/prosecutors and regional court judges regarding enhanced assessment of children exposed to sexual violence.  Below is a photo of Dr. F-H and I just before we spoke for several hours to judges, prosecutors, and medical examiners from every province within Bolivia. We spoke on the neurobiology of trauma in children who had been exposed to sexual and physical violence, and, the impact on interface with the judicial system. When not lecturing, we spent our time/ resided in a Domestic Violence Shelter/compound, where the walls of our sleeping quarters and living areas were made of cinder blocks, and, there was no hot water for showers (and since this was all located at over 14,000 feet in the Andes mountain range, needless to say, the water was freezing cold, the internet ran at 54.4. dial-up modem rate, and, the entire journey made everyone very appreciative of all that we take for granted in our first world nation). Two things that I really did enjoy was that alpacas were everywhere and I fell in love with quinoa [which is basically eaten at every meal there…and now whenever I see it on a restaurant menu, I simply must have it!)].

As I wrap up my brief greeting, I want to extend my very best wishes for your journey through learning about the theory, assessment, and clinical interventions as these relate to working with victims/survivors of violence and crime in the healthcare setting.

 

Best wishes as you proceed and for a good day (and, I hope to work with some of you in the other two forensic courses).

 

Dr. Clements (Dr. C)

 

Below is my spring picture which was taken this Easter. The stunning girl in the picture with me is my soon to be wife, Victoria. We are getting married on October 27^th of this year. The white fluff-ball is our dog name Repo. He is named “Repo” because he was repossessed by a pet financing company, so my fiancé adopted him. We all enjoy spending our time with family or studying (my fiancé is almost done with her doctorate in pharmacy). Good luck this semester.   

 

 

 

Hi, my name is Kim Karlinchak from Baltimore, Maryland. I love to travel and explore!! I originally graduated from Univ. of Maryland, College Park with a BS in biology. I worked in public health for 5 years.  I graduated from Stevenson University and have been working at the Univ. of Maryland in the Cardiac ICU for 8 years. I also work float pool at Johns Hopkins in their various ICUs. I am currently enrolled in the Family NP program at Drexel. I am interested in this course because I care for many patients who are the victims of abuse in Baltimore City. I feel as though this course will help me to better understand the victims. I hope to learn skills that will enable me to provide better care for victims.    

I travelled to Yosemite last week during Spring break and although the pictures do not represent spring, it was beautiful and an amazing trip!!!

I am located in the South Jersey area and currently work as a Population Health Coordinator. I am interested in taking this course because I have worked in several areas of nursing that encounter victims and offenders and would like to learn more about the subject. 

As a public health nurse, and later a DCPP/Child protective services nurse, I have had many encounters with victims/survivors of interpersonal violence/crime. 

I hope to learn how to recognize social attitudes and perceptions toward victimization and perpetration. Also, I would like to identify the psychological, physical, and legal aspects of victimization and assess victim trauma and identify appropriate interventions for victimized clients.  One thing that is most important to me would be to glean insight to assess ethical dimensions of broader care issues, such as how victimization and trauma impact addiction and/or policies from the perspective of health care providers.
Below is a photo from the First Day of Spring :-)
Best of luck to all this term!