Sprains and Strains for the Correctional Nurse

Sprains and Strains for the Correctional Nurse In the correctional facility, patients often incur strain and sprain injuries as they work or are active on the rec yard.  While most facilities have nursing protocols to care for these injuries, it is important for correctional nurses to be able to identify the presentation of a strain…

Seizure Disorder for the Correctional Nurse

Seizure Disorder for the Correctional Nurse Some days, it seems like everyone we care for in corrections has a seizure disorder. Seizures may be the result of childhood epilepsy, trauma and traumatic brain injury, drug and alcohol use, brain tumors, or any combination of these conditions. The prevalence of seizure disorder in the correctional facilities…

Correctional Nursing Basics: The Respiratory System

Correctional Nursing Basics:The Respiratory System The respiratory system is responsible for supplying oxygen to the body and removing carbon dioxide, which is a waste product of metabolism. It includes the lungs, airway, blood vessels and muscles.  The process of respiration involves a series of steps, starting with the inhalation of air and ending with the…

Correctional Nursing Basics: The Nervous System

Correctional Nursing Basics:The Nervous System The nervous system is a complex and intricate network that plays a crucial role in controlling and coordinating various functions of the human body. From simple reflexes to complex thoughts, the nervous system controls our physiological processes. Part of our Basics series, this class will discuss the structure and function…

Correctional Nursing Basics: The Endocrine System

Correctional Nursing Basics:The Endocrine System The Endocrine System regulates metabolism, growth, stress response, reproduction, mood, bone health, and various physiological processes to maintain homeostasis in the body.  This is accomplished through its network of glands that produce and release hormones, chemical messengers that regulate various physiological functions in the body.   The Endocrine System’s balance…

Correctional Nurse Basics: The Immune System

Correctional Nursing Basics:The Immune System The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against harmful invaders, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Its primary purpose is to recognize and eliminate pathogens while differentiating them from the body’s own healthy cells and tissues.  It…

Pain Management for the Correctional Nurse

Pain Management for the Correctional Nurse Costing more than $600 billion dollars annually, chronic pain is a major concern in the community. For example, in Michigan, 27.2% of residents surveyed in the 2011 Michigan Resident Survey indicated that they accessed a healthcare provider for the treatment of chronic pain, and 29% had sought treatment for…

Inflammatory Bowel Disease for the Correctional Nurse

Inflammatory Bowel Disease for the Correctional Nurse Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn Disease are conditions known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease.  They are very similar, yet have important differences. Patients with either of these diseases have significant challenges when placed in the correctional environment, where there is an inherent lack of privacy. Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn Disease…

A Cardiac Primer for the Correctional Nurse: Heart Sounds and Murmurs

A Cardiac Primer for the Correctional Nurse: Heart Sounds and Murmurs In 2015, the Department of Justice Bureau of Statistics published the latest Special Report of Medical problems of State and Federal Prisoners and Jail Inmates, 2011-2012.  In it, the prevalence of heart-related problems in state and federal prisoners was 9.8%, whereas the prevalence of…

Inmate Manipulation in Corrections

Inmate Manipulation in Corrections Every day, inmates spend their time watching and waiting. They watch with deep interest all that occurs in the facility, waiting until they identify just the right person to target in their manipulation game. Often, inmates direct their attention to the healthcare staff, as healthcare staff are stereotypically sympathetic and wanting…