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Honouring Beth Ariss

Recently, Canadian Forensic Nurses Association (CFNA) recognized Elizabeth (Beth) Ariss as a Forensic Nursing Pioneer in Canada for her decades long commitment to the care of patients accessing healthcare after experiencing sexual violence.  

On September 25, 2024, Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre held a recognition/tribute event for Beth as well. Placed  in the Program’s Sexual Assault/Intimate Partner Violence Program (SA/IPV) suite  is a plaque with Beth’s photo and her forensic nursing journey posted as a tribute to her professional work.   

Beth  was the founder of the Manitoba Health Sciences Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program in the early 90’s. Long before that, she recognized the disparity in the timely access to healthcare for women who presented to the Emergency Department after a violence/trauma related event such as sexual assault.  She vowed to make changes recognizing  the urgency of providing care for those experiencing physical and emotional trauma. To say Beth accomplished changes in provision of healthcare to this special forensic population is an understatement.  

Along with  three other emergency nurses, Beth worked along side physicians and then later, themselves to provide medical forensic sexual assault examinations for adult females. In 1992, she was one of two Canadians who attended the  founding of  the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN)  in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Beth said, “In Minneapolis, I had a fire lit in me that would not go out,” to provide those who experienced sexual assault with the best possible nursing care. Beth’s valuable input and resources were the foundation of other nurse examiner sites in Canada. Beth was also the driving force behind the construction of a separate unit for the first medical forensic examinations at Winnipeg Health Sciences Center.

In 2002, Beth received the IAFN Achievement Award for her forensic nursing achievements and then in 2006, she was one of the first Canadian sexual assault nurse examiners to join the Forensic Nurse Society of Canada. In 2009, Beth also received the Winnipeg Police Department Certificate of Appreciation.

CFNA honours Beth for her two decades of contribution to forensic nursing in Canada and her compassion, advocacy and commitment to changing the healthcare response to sexual violence. In the words of a current CFNA member, “without [Beth’s] perseverance to improve care for people who had experienced sexual assault, I may not have had the opportunity to participate in this very rewarding nursing specialty. She was a true patient advocate and role model of what nurses achieve by using their voice to improve patient care.” Beth was a leader by example and is truly a Canadian Forensic Nurse Pioneer.


Rest in Peace, Beth. You were foundational to the healthcare response to violence and trauma.


Canadian Forensic Nurses Association 


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