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 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 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 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 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 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 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…
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…
A Diabetes Primer 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, a 200% increase in the number of incarcerated individuals with diabetes was documented from 2004 to this report. Nine percent of…
Sickle Cell Disease for the Correctional Nurse Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a group of inherited blood disorders characterized by the presence of abnormal hemoglobin, called hemoglobin S (HbS), in red blood cells. This genetic condition leads to the formation of rigid, sickle-shaped red blood cells that can obstruct blood flow and cause various complications. …