Headache for the Correctional Nurse Headache is a pain in any part of the head, including the face, scalp, and interior of the head. The pain is due to activation of the pain-sensitive structures around the brain, skull, face, teeth or sinuses. It is the one of the most common types of pain seen in…
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. …
Juvenile Obesity for the Correctional Nurse The rate of obesity for children and adolescents in the United States has risen significantly–from 14.5 percent to 17.3 percent overall, making it the most prevalent nutritional disorder among children and adolescents. Research suggests that 16-18% of American children and adolescents are obese, and another 21-24% are overweight. This results from…
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…
Heart Failure for the Correctional Nurse According to the American Heart Association, almost 5.7 million Americans of all ages are affected by heart failure. Overall, it is responsible for more hospitalizations than all forms of cancer combined, and for medicare patients, heart failure is the number one cause of hospitalization. Due to the improved survival…
Clinical Judgment for the Correctional Nurse In corrections, nurses are usually the first health care professional to assess a health concern or complaint. Patients present with virtually every type of health problem, and many have co-occurring conditions that can complicate the diagnosis and plan of care. Therefore, correctional nursing practice requires knowledge and experience with…
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…
Medication Administration for the Correctional Nurse Traditional medication administration processes require alteration when applied in the correctional setting to accommodate the needs of security and the dispersed nature of health care delivery. Correctional nurses must accommodate security requirements while maintaining all standard administration principles. This class describes the various ways medications may be administered in a…
Correctional Nurse Self-Care All nursing is stressful and correctional nursing is no exception. Delivering patient care in a secure environment to a challenging patient population can be draining. Many nurses are other-centered and focus on the needs of others to the detriment of their own health. Besides work stress and burn out, correctional nurses are…