Just Science is excited to release our next mini season: Workforce Resiliency. From sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) to medicolegal death investigators (MDIs), this season takes a closer look at forensic science practitioners performing their jobs under difficult circumstances. Tune in as we discuss the realities of work-related stress and vicarious trauma, as well as strategies to mitigate their effects in this new season of Just Science.

Workforce Resiliency

In the first episode of our Workforce Resiliency season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Jennifer Rineer, a program manager and research psychologist in RTI International’s Center for Policing Research and Investigative Science, and Kelly Keyes, a research forensic scientist in RTI’s Center for Forensic Sciences, to discuss workforce resiliency among medicolegal death investigators.   

Medicolegal death investigators face consistent exposure to stress and traumatic events on the job, yet there is limited research on the daily pressures these professionals experience. An NIJ study led by Dr. Rineer surveyed 900 medicolegal death investigators to gain more information on the driving sources of stress among these practitioners, with the goal of developing better interventions to mitigate these stressors. Listen along as these experts discuss the responsibilities of medicolegal death investigators and the difficulty of retaining good staff, as well as their findings on work-related stress within the profession in this episode of Just Science. 

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

Just Workforce Resiliency For MDIs

In episode two of our Workforce Resiliency mini season, Just science sat down with Dr. Cara Berg-Raunick, a women’s health nurse practitioner and the Director of Clinical Quality and Advancement at Health Care Education & Training, to discuss vicarious trauma experienced by Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs).  

Vicarious trauma – the cognitive changes someone experiences after witnessing traumatic events – affects nurse examiners profoundly, particularly those providing care in the aftermath of sexual violence. According to Dr. Berg-Raunick, the ramifications of SANEs experiencing vicarious trauma could be devastating to the practice of medical forensic examination. Listen along as Dr. Berg-Raunick discusses her journey through anti-sexual violence practice, the effects of vicarious trauma in her own life, and her research findings in this two-part episode of Just Science.  

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

Just Workforce Resiliency For Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Part 1

In episode three of our Workforce Resiliency mini season, Just Science continues our conversation with Dr. Cara Berg Raunick, a women’s health nurse practitioner and the Director of Clinical Quality and Advancement at Health Care Education and Training, on vicarious trauma experienced by sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs).
On last week’s episode, Dr. Berg Raunick discussed the realities of vicarious trauma, its effect on SANEs, and how those effects – anxiety and depression, for example – can hinder SANEs from providing critical care to survivors of sexual violence. Listen along as Dr. Berg Raunick continues detailing her research methods and findings on vicarious trauma among SANEs in this episode of Just Science.

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

Just Workforce Resiliency For Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Part 2

In episode four of our Workforce Resiliency mini season, Just Science sat down with Donia Slack, the Director of the Research, Technology, and Evaluation Program in RTI’s Center for Forensic Sciences, to discuss the literature gaps within resiliency and vicarious trauma research.

Discussions on how post-traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout can affect first responders and justice practitioners have increased over the years, but research gaps remain on the level of stress forensic scientists experience. Listen along as Donia Slack discusses the literature on stress, her upcoming doctoral research, and strategies to bolster workforce resiliency for forensic scientists in this episode of Just Science.

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

Just Literature On Stress & Resiliency In Forensic Science

Just Science is a podcast for justice professionals and anyone interested in learning more about forensic science, innovative technology, current research, and actionable strategies to improve the criminal justice system.  This podcast deals with a range of issues, including human trafficking, firearms, policing, leadership in the crime lab, new technologies, sexual assault response, and broader challenges for science and public security. We cover various types of topics across RTI's Justice Practice Area. 

Some seasons of Just Science were developed by RTI International's Justice Practice Area through various funding sources. Please visit the individual episode to learn more about its funding.