Victim Researcher Profile

BIO

Patricia M. Speck graduated from University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing (CON) in 1982 (BSN), 1985 (MSN), and 2005 (DNSc). After retiring from UTHSC CON as DNP Public Health Nursing and DNP Forensic Nursing Concentration Coordinator, she joined the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing (SON) in the Department of Community Health, Outcomes, and Systems. Currently Dr. Speck is Professor and Coordinator of Advanced Forensic Nursing graduate program. She experiences international recognition as a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and expert in advanced forensic nursing care of patients experiencing an intersection with the legal system. She consults with the Department of Justice as a subject matter expert about forensic nursing and DNA detection, with universities desiring forensic nursing curriculum, nursing specialty organizations desiring Consensus and forensic nursing curriculum, and internationally in Africa, Eurasia, the Caribbean, and Central, South and North America with governments, universities, institutions, and Non-Governmental Organizations to evaluate and implement infrastructure change in a coordinated community response to victims of violence. As a family nurse practitioner – forensic nursing practice expert, she has seen or supervised the care of over 15,000 acutely victimized persons. She researches, develops policy, evaluates programs, and builds nursing workforce capacity through publication (>12 books; >100 publications; webinars), graduate and doctoral education, and violence prevention initiatives in communities of stakeholders wishing to implement coordinated community responses that raise awareness about trauma and health in a variety of populations. She partners with forensic laboratory experts to collect samples for research about extended post coital intervals and produced evidence in 2015 and again in 2019 to expand timing for DNA detection in reproductive aged minority and non-minority women, with global implications. She is actively involved in national policy as a member of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) Global Health Expert Panel and the Violence Expert Panel. She was President of the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) (2003-2004), Chair, American Public Health Association's Family Violence Prevention Forum/Caucus (2011-2013) and is a current Academy of Forensic Nursing (AFN) and Forensic Nursing Certification Board (FNCB) member. She teaches the next generation of forensic nurses at UAB SON and through an AFN Journal Club. Her awards include: Fellow American Academy of Forensic Sciences (2008), Distinguished Fellow, International Association of Forensic Nursing (2001), Distinguished Fellow, Academy of Forensic Nursing (2018), and Fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Nursing (2002). She is the recipient of over 25 awards and received the Lifetime Professional Impact Award from End Violence Against Women International in 2017.

VICTIMIZATION FOCUS

SPECIAL POPULATIONS

RESEARCH EXPERTISE

VICTIM RESEARCH EXPERIENCE