CFPN Forensic Evidence Collection and Chain of Custody 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of maintaining chain of custody for forensic evidence collected by a forensic pharmacy nurse?
- To ensure evidence integrity and legal admissibility (Correct answer)
- To speed up laboratory processing
- To reduce documentation requirements
- To limit access to pharmacy records
Correct answer: To ensure evidence integrity and legal admissibility
Chain of custody ensures that evidence has not been tampered with and is legally admissible in court proceedings.
Question 2: When collecting urine specimens for drug screening in a forensic setting, which temperature range confirms a freshly voided sample?
- 90–100°F (32–38°C) (Correct answer)
- 80–90°F (27–32°C)
- 70–80°F (21–27°C)
- 60–70°F (16–21°C)
Correct answer: 90–100°F (32–38°C)
Fresh urine temperature should be between 90–100°F (32–38°C) within four minutes of voiding.
Question 3: Which item is NOT typically included on a forensic evidence seal label?
- Patient's insurance provider (Correct answer)
- Date and time of collection
- Collector's name and signature
- Case or medical record number
Correct answer: Patient's insurance provider
Insurance provider information is not required on an evidence seal; identification, time, collector, and case data are standard.
Question 4: A forensic pharmacy nurse discovers that a sealed evidence bag has been opened before transfer to the lab. What is the most appropriate immediate action?
- Document the breach and notify the supervising investigator (Correct answer)
- Reseal the bag and continue transfer
- Discard the evidence to avoid contamination issues
- Complete the transfer and note it post-lab
Correct answer: Document the breach and notify the supervising investigator
Any breach of an evidence seal must be immediately documented and reported to maintain chain of custody integrity.
Question 5: Which type of packaging is most appropriate for wet biological evidence such as blood-soaked clothing in forensic cases?
- Paper bag to allow drying and prevent mold (Correct answer)
- Plastic bag sealed airtight
- Aluminum foil wrap
- Standard zip-lock bag
Correct answer: Paper bag to allow drying and prevent mold
Paper bags allow moisture to escape, preventing mold and bacterial growth that would degrade biological evidence.
Question 6: When is it appropriate for a forensic pharmacy nurse to release evidence directly to a patient's family member?
- Never without proper legal authorization (Correct answer)
- When the family member presents a photo ID
- When the patient gives verbal consent
- When the attending physician approves
Correct answer: Never without proper legal authorization
Forensic evidence can only be released to authorized parties such as law enforcement or legal representatives with proper documentation.
CFPN Forensic Evidence Collection and Chain of Custody 1
What is the primary purpose of maintaining chain of custody for forensic evidence collected by a forensic pharmacy nurse?