Assistance to victims of violence in Emergency services from the Forensic Nursing perspective*

Objective: to analyze nurses' role in collecting, identifying and preserving traces in Emergency care for victims of violence, from the perspective of these professionals. Method: a qualitative study with an exploratory and descriptive approach. It was developed through semi-structured interviews with 21 nurses from hospitals that are part of the intersectoral flow to assist victims of violence from two reference hospitals in this type of care, in a capital city from southern Brazil. Nurses that are members of the multiprofessional team working in the Emergency areas at the respective hospitals were included; in turn, the exclusion criteria corresponded to professionals relocated in Emergency areas during the pandemic. Data analysis was performed according to Thematic Content Analysis. Results : the data were discussed in five categories: 1) Professional qualification; 2) Institutional protocol and materials; 3) The professionals' perceptions; 4) The professionals' actions; and 5) Team structure. Conclusion: Nursing professionals' skills in collecting, identifying and preserving traces in Emergency assistance provided to victims of violence need to be better organized, structured and standardized. The presence of Nursing professionals in the care of victims of violence in Emergency services is undeniable, but their importance is still underestimated and their potential contribution to the forensic approach is underused.