Abdominal Assessment for the Correctional Nurse: Basic Assessment With this class, we begin a three-part series on Abdominal Assessment for the Correctional Nurse. This first class will include basic abdominal assessment, expected normal findings and potential abnormalities in each region. The second and third class will review abdominal assessment techniques, and will discuss in more…
Documentation for the Correctional Nurse Documentation is one of the most critical skills nurses perform, regardless of the setting in which they practice. Accurate, detailed charting provides a clinical picture of the patient and a chronological history of their health care. Nursing documentation enables effective continuity of care for the patient. It also provides legal…
Diabetes for the Correctional Nurse In the US Department of Justice’s Special Report on the Medical Problems of State and Federal Prisoners and Jail Inmates, 2011-12 that was published in early 2015 (most current as of 2018-2019), a 200% increase in the number of incarcerated individuals with diabetes was documented from 2004 to this report. …
Wound Care for the Correctional Nurse In the correctional environment, depending upon the population and the type of facility (jail or prison), the wounds typically seen could be acute or chronic, but all require nursing assessment, treatment and monitoring. In this class, both acute and chronic wounds will be discussed. Obtaining the wound history, conducting a…
Excited Delirium It is 5:00 pm on a Saturday night, and Mr. Joel arrives at Booking in the County Jail in the custody of four Deputies. The Deputies tell you that he was picked up at the train station because he was “acting crazy”, pulling his clothes off and screaming that he “did not want…
Common Mental Health Disorders for the Correctional Nurse Estimates are that nearly 67% of inmates have a serious mental illness, while over half report at least one mental condition (Bureau of Justice, 2021). Even if you are providing nursing care for a medical condition, a co-occurring mental health condition can affect the nurse-patient relationship. Mental…
Sickle Cell Disease for the Correctional Nurse Sickle Cell Disease is a genetic condition in which the protein that carries oxygen in the blood is misshapen. The result of this sickle-shaped hemoglobin is less oxygen to parts of the body, red blood cells getting “stuck” and occluding certain vascular areas, and red blood cells that…
Chronic Care Patient Education: Diabetes in Corrections As healthcare professionals, we are constantly providing patient education as we go about our assessments and treatments. In corrections, our practice is an extension of Community Health. We assess and treat many of the same illnesses that are prevalent in our community; often, however, their prevalence is higher…
Suicide Prevention in Corrections Incarcerated individuals are three times more likely to commit suicide that those in the community. This is due to the incarcerated populations’ demographics; their decreased ability to cope with the day-to-day stresses of incarceration; the facility’s lack of sufficient staff or staff training in suicide prevention; and the lack of access…
Laboratory Diagnostics for the Correctional Nurse Correctional nurses must obtain labs and conduct patient education regarding lab tests on a daily basis. Thus, it is very important that the nurse understands why the test is being ordered for their patient, any special preparation needed, and what the results indicate. This class is a discussion of…