Dealing with Inmate Food Allergies
Food allergies can be a real challenge for correctional nurses. It is important to document these allergies during intake screenings and put safeguards in place to avoid allergic reactions behind bars. However, inmates can report food allergies that are really preferences (I’m allergic to bologna sandwiches) or food intolerances (I’m allergic to onions). How can true allergies be sorted out from among the many reported?
I recently interviewed Dr. Jeff Keller, correctional physician from Idaho Falls, ID, about the issue on the Correctional Nursing Today Radio Show. This episode is full of interesting and important information for correctional nurses. I highly recommend you download or livestream the 30 minute program. Here are some important points from my notes of the session.
- There are IgE mediated and non-IgE mediated allergic reactions. The medical concern is with IgE mediated allergies, which involve immune system mast cells that respond violently to contact with the allergen. Check out this animation to remind you of the IgE allergic reaction process.
- Peanuts make up 85% of food allergies. The remaining 15% are from tree nuts and shellfish. Other food allergies such as fin fish or strawberries are rare.
- Almost all food allergy deaths happen to teenagers and those in their early 20’s.
- Allergic reactions include hives, angioedema and asthma/wheezing.
- Ways to test for true allergy include a food confrontation test and skin prick testing. There is also a fairly inexpensive blood test for IgE circulating levels.
- Epinephrine is the main treatment for a life-threatening food allergic reaction.
Managing Food Allergies Behind Bars
If an inmate is determined to have a peanut allergy, a peanut-free diet is needed. However, precautions do not end here. Cellmate assignment and work detail must also be considered. This inmate may not be able to be housed with other inmates who have peanut products in their possession. For example, peanut butter and peanut butter products such as sandwich crackers may be available in the commissary. A peanut-allergic inmate may not be able to be assigned kitchen duty if peanut products are present. Shellfish and tree nuts are fairly easy to deal with as pecan-crusted shrimp are rarely on the menu. However, peanut butter is an inexpensive protein source in frequent use in corrections.
Preparing for an Allergic Reaction
A coordinated response to food allergies is needed in every facility. Dr. Keller recommended a protocol be developed addressing actions custody and medical staff will take to respond to true food allergies. Besides diet, housing and work detail issues, a coordinated emergency response to a reaction is needed. Epi pens are the standard mechanism for emergency treatment of an allergic reaction. Inmates are not able to carry needles on their person so the location and accountability for epi pens should be considered. Housing officers may need to have pens available and know how to use them. Correctional nurses may need to provide information and demonstration of epi-pen use. Officers are also likely to be the first responders in an allergy emergency. They need to know the signs of allergic reaction so that they can act quickly to summon assistance and administer epinephrine.
How has your facility dealt with food allergies? Tell us your experiences using the comments section.
Photo Credit: © Jaimie Duplass – Fotolia.com
4 Myths About Hangings in Jails and Prisons
The prison intercom crackles with the news of an emergency on Pod 7. Arriving with the emergency bag in tow, the nurse finds a crime scene in full swing. An inmate is hanging from a makeshift bed linen noose creatively tied around the upper bunk slats.
The actions taken in the first few minutes after a discovered hanging can be the difference between a hospital transfer and an in-custody death. Hanging is the most common form of successful suicide in corrections.
Correctional nurses are confronted with situations unusual in other care settings. Be sure to prepare yourself by eliminating these common jail and prison nursing myths from your practice.
Myth #1: It won’t happen here – this is a small jail.
Although it might appear that most hangings happen in large urban jails, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Special Report on Suicide in State Prisons and Local Jails reports that the country’s smallest jails had suicide rates 5 times higher than the largest jails. Jails holding fewer than 50 inmates accounted for 14% of all jail suicides. With smaller staffs and fewer resources, small jails need to remain vigilant to the potential for hangings. Detailed policies and procedures on prevention and post-hanging interventions should be in place. Emergency procedures for a hanging situation should be periodically practices and involve both custody and medical unit staff.
Myth #2: It won’t happen here – We have great suicide screenings and watch suicidal inmates closely.
Improved suicide prevention and management processes have definitely reduced hanging suicides in the correctional setting over the last two decades. As outlined in a prior column I wrote for CorrectionsOne, incarcerated suicide rates in both jails and prisons have declined sharply; with jail suicides still over 3 times the rate of state prisons. Suicidal inmates are creative and will use any resource available to craft a noose and the leverage to asphyxiate by hanging body weight. Screenings can help weed out obvious potential for self-injury, but require a good mechanism for protecting those who do not pass the screen. A strong communication process with mental health services is needed to complete the protective program. All staff must be vigilant for indications of self-harm. Suicide attempts can take place later in the incarceration period triggered by court hearings, family issues such as divorce proceedings or custody issues, and classification changes such as administrative segregation placement. Do you have a process that allows for re-evaluation following such events.
Myth #3: Hangings are lethal. If found strung up and lifeless, no need to intervene.
The major factors leading to a hanging fatality is height of the drop during hanging and the suspension of the body (full or partial). Most hangings in corrections take place in the housing area (primarily the inmate cell) which leaves little chance for a full body suspension and great height. This results in good chances of survival with early intervention. One study concluded that even if the victim is found to be lifeless, aggressive intervention with CPR and emergency medical transport is warranted. Another study found overall mortality associated with hanging was 33%. Those who survived to admission to the hospital had a relatively low rate of severe functional disability. Initiate medical intervention immediately when a hanging is found.
A significant percentage of hanging victims will have spinal fracture, therefore spine immobilization and jaw thrust maneuvers should be taken into account at the scene. In order to accomplish this, easy access to a rescue tool, such as this seatbelt release device, is needed to quickly lower the person to the floor for emergency resuscitation intervention.
Myth #4: Every hanging is a crime scene. The inmate can’t be cut down until the location is photographed and evidence accumulated.
There have been reports of medical staff being delayed from attending to a hanging victim while crime scene investigation takes place. Minutes are precious in emergency treatment and can make a difference in ultimate survival. Cut down the victim and initiate emergency medical intervention as soon as the scene has been secured. Saving a person’s life trumps all need for determining criminality. Nurses must advocate for immediate patient treatment in this situation. Even better, pre-empt an emergency situation like this by reviewing a hanging medical intervention process with custody administration before a hanging event.
What has been your experience with post-hanging treatment. Share in the comment box below.
Photo Credit: © LituFalco – Fotolia.com
Inside the Mind of a Psychopath
These interspecies predators use charm, manipulation, imitation and violence to control others and satisfy their own selfish needs, ACA session told |
| By Erin Hicks CorrectionsOne Associate Editor (Reprinted with permission) KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Psychopaths make up just 1 percent of the general population, but around 15 to 20 percent of the prison population, meaning if you haven’t come across one already, you’re bound to meet one soon. Broadly defined as interspecies predators, psychopaths often use charm, manipulation, imitation and violence to control others and satisfy their own selfish needs, said Dean Aufderheide, Ph.D., M.A., Director of Mental Health Services with the Florida Department of Corrections. But what makes them so dangerous is that any attempt at treatment will make them more likely to commit crimes and develop better manipulation and deceptions then if they were never treated at all, Aufderheide told a session at The American Correctional Association convention in Kissimmee, Fla. In general, the characteristics of a psychopath are: Read the full article on CorrectionOne.com
Read my prior post on psychopathsPhoto Credit: © Kit Wai Chan – Fotolia.com
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Inmates Say the Darndest Things!
I’ve written before about the literacy level of our patients. This is not meant in any way to belittle or trivialize their plight. However, they DO send us some interesting messages via sick call slips with some frankly funny requests. I gleaned these gems from my friends over at the correctional nursing forum on allnurses.com. This is a great community of nurses struggling to provide care to our needy patient population and I recommend this group as a place to connect and chat about our specialty.
- I have Fishers
- I am having trouble with towel movements. Please give me something to move my towels
- I need a pedicure- my feet scrubbed, rubbed, and exfoliated
- swollen phallus and itchy knutz
Have you had a chuckle over an inmate sick call request? Share your experience in the comment section of this post.
Photo credit © mico_images – Fotolia.com
Featured Video: Veterans Court
As we turn our thoughts to those who serve our country this Memorial Day, consider those veterans who are convicted of nonviolent crimes and their struggle in the court and prison system. This news report explains how the stress of military service can contribute to a downward spiral.
Do you have a veteran inmate story to share? Use the comment section of this post.
Trauma Informed Care
This article originally appeared in CorrectionsOne.com
Can an understanding of your inmate’s traumatic past help with current management issues? You bet! According to Stephanie S. Covington, Ph.D., L.C.S.W, you can keep things under control by looking behind erratic behavior and violent outbursts to see what is going on inside an inmate’s thought world. Dr. Covington is the author of several books on the subject of trauma-informed practices, including gender-specific and addition treatments. Her work is currently being featured on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) in a 7 week series filmed in the Rockville Correctional Facility, Rockville, IL. “Breaking Down the Bars” chronicles the journey of several female inmates as they deal with their abusive past and gain skills to move on to a more productive life.
Dr. Covington is convinced that anyone who works with people needs to be trauma-informed. In particular, inmate behaviors can be related to past history. Vivid memories of prior trauma can be triggered by a sight, sound or smell. The flood of returning memory can overwhelm the person and impact responses to a situation. Self-protecting defenses such as screaming, violent outbursts or withdrawal can be produced at unlikely times. By understanding these responses for what they are, officers can intervene appropriately to gain control instead of escalating the situation further.
In fact, many of the common methods for controlling an unsafe inmate situation can actually produce the opposite effect in a traumatized inmate situation triggered by the past. In addition, an inmate flooded with vivid memories of a rape or abuse may over-react to the yelling, loud door slamming and name calling that can be present in a typical cell block. Dr. Covington suggests there are tools and skills that have been proven to de-escalate reactive situations.
Measures to regain control in a traumatized inmate situation
- Use a steady, slow, and modulated voice tone when giving instruction.
- Refocus the inmate on the present. Make statements about where they are.
- Confirm that the inmate is safe right now and should not fear harm.
- Ask simple questions about the present to refocus thoughts on the here and now
The next time you have an inappropriate inmate outburst or response, consider a trauma-informed approach. It may make all the difference!
Have you used any trauma-informed procedures at your facility? Share your thoughts in the comments section. 
Photo Credit: Oprah Winfrey Network
Unhealthy Inmate Relationships: 5 Danger Signs
This article was originally published by CorrectionsOne.com
Prison and jail medical units are over-represented by female staff, creating a number of challenges to avoiding inappropriate inmate relationships. It is a common saying that the inmates go to medical to ‘enjoy the view’, and in one prison system in which I, we explicitly stated to all orientees that “You cannot have sex with an inmate.” As crass as that sounds, it was necessary to make it crystal clear that a sexual relationship with an inmate, no matter if it was consensual or not, was illegal in that state and would be prosecuted. In that same system former nursing staff were doing time for this very transgression.
Corrections professionals rarely start their careers expecting or desiring an intimate relationship with an inmate. So how does it happen? Here are some signs to watch for – not only for yourself, but for your team mates.
Sign #1: Personal life in disarray
When things are falling apart in your personal life you become emotionally vulnerable to an inmate relationship. Family conflict, divorce, discovery of infidelity or even children behaving badly can open you to an inmate relationship.
Counteractions:
• Be on guard when your personal life is in upheaval
• Ask a trusted peer to help you stay in line by privately confronting you when wander out of bounds
Sign #2: Doing little favors
Having day-to-day contact with any individual makes it easy to begin identifying with their beliefs and sympathizing with their plight. We all struggle maintain a balance between the need to avoid identifying with our inmate charges and the need to maintain an awareness of their humanity.
Manipulative inmates will study your attitudes and actions, using them to their own benefit. If an inmate convinces you to do even a small favor, you have started down the path of obligation. Feelings of obligation are universally human, but obligation to inmates is the enemy of a secure workplace.
Counteractions:
• Don’t do even the smallest ‘favor’ for an inmate if it is against regulation
• Create clear boundaries in your relationships with inmates — firmness, fairness and consistent words, actions, and interactions protect you and others.
Sign #3: Looking for opportunities for contact
Do you find yourself looking for opportunities to be with a specific inmate? Watch carefully for this. This may be a subtle beginning to an unhealthy relationship.
Counteractions:
• If you find yourself attracted to a particular inmate, ask for a re-assignment immediately
• When the inmate comes to mind, immediately change your mental channel –think about something positive and motivational, and change your location or activity to help in re-orienting your thoughts
• If you see this sign in another officer, have a serious talk about it in private
Sign #4: Correspondence with an inmate
Often, the first step to a more intimate relationship with an inmate involves written communication. A note, letter or email moves the relationship one step further down the road to ruin. Even when not sexually explicit, written communication has been used as evidence of an improper relationship with an inmate.
Counteractions:
• Avoid ALL written communication involving inmates — this includes mailing letters and passing notes from one inmate to another
• Do not tolerate these actions from another officer — call them on it personally and suggest they turn themselves in
Sign #5: Falling off the cliff
Yep, this is the Full Monty – personal and physical contact. The thing is done. At this point many procedures have been violated, rules breached and laws broken. This point is only reached after many of the above sign posts have been passed. But it is still not too late to turn back.
Counteractions:
• If you know of a staff member in this situation, do something about it
• First, confront the colleague and suggest they turn themselves in — management and the courts are often more lenient with repentant transgressors
• If this is you, notify the inmate and turn yourself in — suggest the inmate do the same
• If you know about this activity and the fellow officer refuses to report themselves, you must do it for them — you protect your team, the officer, yourself, and the inmates by doing so
• Get help! Consider all your options including counseling, and legal or employee assistance.
• Seek a unit or facility transfer and take any accumulated time off to contemplate your future.
Take action now!
If you see yourself or a fellow staff member in any of the above descriptions, take action. Protect yourself and your peers. Unhealthy inmate relationships jeopardize not only the individual but also the security of other staff members. You are doing yourself and others a favor by intervening before it is too late.
What have we forgotten? Leave your strategies for avoiding inmate relationships in the comments section below.
Photo Credit – © Olga Lipatova – Fotolia.com
Exertional Rhabdomyolysis: Inmate Bodybuilder Disaster
The majority of our inmate patients are still fairly young. Many of the youthful inmate population spend available time in sports and bodybuilding activities. These individuals are prone to contracting exertional rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo). Correctional nurses need to be alert to the potential and respond effectively to stave off a disastrous outcome.
What Causes Rhabdo?
Rhabdo is the breakdown of muscle tissue causing an outpouring of intercellular contents including myoglobin, potassium, and creatine kinase (CK). These three elements cause the life-threatening effects of the condition. Non-traumatic rhabdo can be caused by severe over-exercise, major drug ingestion, or as a result of statin use. Many corrections-related incidents of rhabdo appear in the literature including 110 knee-bends performed as a part of an inmate hazing event, narcotic overdose and intravenous drug use.
Silent Symptoms
Rhabdo can start innocuously and may be overlooked as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) from over-exertion. However, if the overly sore muscles are accompanied by brown (coca-cola) urine or urine irregularities such as nocturia or anuria, beware. Further assessment is warranted.
Nursing Actions
A good history and assessment is necessary, including any unusual activities over the last 48 hours and a medication review. Many of our patient population are now on statins, which can complicate exertional rhabdo. If Rhabdo is suspected, labs for CK, potassium, and myoglobin should be drawn while monitoring urine output and cardiac rhythm. Under medical direction, fluids should be administered to assist the body to flush out the muscle breakdown byproducts. If not caught early enough, renal dialysis and/or cardiac interventions may be necessary.
Patient and Officer Education
One of the best nursing interventions for rhabdomyolysis is patient and officer education. Inmate bodybuilders should be aware that brown urine is a bad sign that should lead to a medical visit request. Officers should understand the adverse effects of hazing activities that might be a part of a particular inmate culture. Our aggressive and macho patient population can fall prey to competitive weightlifting challenges that go beyond rational sense, requiring intervention. Prevention or early treatment of rhabdo can avoid renal failure and life-threatening arrhythmias.
With awareness, education and vigilance, correctional nurses can reduce the chances of life-threatening results of rhabdomyolysis.
Have you experienced a rhabdo incident at your facility? Share your experience in the comments section of this post.
I’m Gonna Hurt Myself
An inmate arrives at medical with head lacerations from repetitive head banging against a cell wall. Another is found opening an abdominal wound stitched up after the trauma of a car-chase crash. Still another is admitted to the infirmary having sliced arms and chest with a razor in the shower. Self-injury behavior (SIB) is a misunderstood phenomenon that is quite prevalent in the inmate population. A recent report on SIB in prisons estimates 2-4% of the general prison population engage in the activity. The most common forms of self-injury in the correctional setting are cutting, inserting or swallowing objects, head banging, and opening old wounds. As a nurse in corrections, you will definitely be confronted with patients who have self-inflicted bleeding, bruising and burning damage.
Of course, nursing care for SIB physical wounds is quite straightforward and based on the actual injury. However, understanding the potential causes of the behavior will help you to constructively deal with your patient as you mend their self-inflicted wounds.
Why are they doing this?
Experts have a variety of theories on the origins and treatment of this behavior. Although staff may initially see SIB as a desire for attention or a response to boredom, some mental health experts are finding the behavior to be motivated by a ‘coping deficit’ when dealing with feelings of depression or powerlessness. Many who self-injure have a history of childhood physical or sexual abuse. As you may already know, children experiencing repeated abuse often cope by dissociation from the physical and psychological pain. This same dissociation from pain is seen in some who self-injure.
They must be suicidal
Other explanations for the phenomena include the use of SIB to ‘manage the strong emotions that lead one to consider dying’ (Mazelis). It is questionable whether self-injury is a suicide attempt or an attempt to quell suicidal thoughts. Janis Witlock, PhD, Cornell suggests that self-injury acts as a ‘drug’ to release endorphins that calms the individual, thereby relieving stress for a time.
What can be done?
No matter the cause of the behavior, a concerted, multi-disciplinary response to SIB in the correctional setting is highly advocated. Suggested interventions include intensive therapy, group sessions and careful treatment planning. SIB must be treated as more than a disciplinary issue to be controlled. A collaboration of custody and treatment efforts is warranted.
Much is still to be learned about assessing, intervening and preventing SIB. A recent call was made for national standards to address the condition in the corrections community. In the meantime, understanding the potential causes of the behavior will help you to be a part of the team approach to treating this complex condition.
Help! My Patient is a Psychopath!
Unfortunately, your psychopathic patient is not as easy to identify as the fellow in the pix. He or she will be quite charming and attentive. If you aren’t careful, you will be drawn right into his current scam. Nurses working medical are not always savvy about the ways of the criminally insane. Always be on the alert for the subtle manipulation of the psychopath. There are many of them to be found in corrections. Although an estimated 1% of the general population have this condition, between 15-20% of your inmate-patients could be classified as psychopathic. Become familiar with the characteristics so you can be on guard.
What to Look For
Robert Hare, PhD, considered the top expert on the Psychopathic Personality, created a list of common characteristics. How many of them describe patients arriving at your sick call or medication line?
Characteristics of a Psychopath
- superficial charm
- self-centered & self-important
- need for stimulation & prone to boredom
- deceptive behavior & lying
- conning & manipulative
- little remorse or guilt
- shallow emotional response
- callous with a lack of empathy
- living off others or predatory attitude
- poor self-control
- promiscuous sexual behavior
- early behavioral problems
- lack of realistic long term goals
- impulsive lifestyle
- irresponsible behavior
- blaming others for their actions
- short term relationships
Protect Yourself
Unless you are working the mental health side, your job is not to ‘treat’ the psychopathy, but to be aware of it and protect yourself. Psychopaths will use every interaction to their advantage. They are astute at discerning another person’s vulnerabilities and they prey on hurting people. Staff members who are lonely, insecure or self-involved are good candidates for the manipulation of a psychopathic inmate. Nursing careers have ended when nurses have been drawn into sexual relationships or nefarious activities such as smuggling contraband or diverting narcotics for these individuals. Guard yourself. Know the characteristics. Keep yourself and your teammates accountable to stop potential issues before they move to a dangerous level.
Firm, Fair, Consistent
Protect yourself by treating all inmate-patients with strict professional behavior and demeanor. Follow all security rules of conduct. Here are a few tips.
- Don’t get personal. If an inmate comments about your hair or your figure, call them on it. If the comments continue, report them.
- Do not perform even the smallest ‘extra’ activity for an inmate. That cotton ball or paperclip is the first step down a slippery slope.
- Treat all inmates with equal respect and professional distance. Do not show any favoritism and do not allow any in return.
- If you think you may have already been compromised, report it immediately to your supervisor and take actions to halt the progression. This may include reassignment to another care unit to break the connection.
Have you come across psychopaths as described above in your practice? Tell us your experiences in the comments section of this post.
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BlogTalkRadio Podcasts- I Can't Eat That! Food Allergies in Corrections - Dec 22,2011 December 22, 2011Jeffrey Keller, MD, FACEP, discusses the thorny issue of self-reported food allergies in the correctional setting. There are many misconceptions about what constitutes a food allergy. In addition, food preferences can be inappropriately identified as an allergy. How should correctional nurses sort out food allergies? Dr. Keller is the president of Badger Cor […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Are Correctional Nurses Outcasts? - Oct 04,2011 October 4, 2011Lorry chats with Kevin Connor, BSN, RN, CCHP, President of the California-Nevada Chapter of the American Correctional Health Services Association about the image of correctional nursing. Keven is Communicable Diseases Coordinator for the San Bernadino Sheriffs Department and works out of the West Valley Detention Center in Ranco Cucamonga, CA. The CA-NV ACHS […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Aging, Stressors and Inmate Health - Sep 17,2011 September 17, 2011Lorry talks with Dr. Tina Maschi, assistant professor at the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service in New York City about her work on behalf of prisoners. She is a 2010 recipient of the competitive Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholars Program Award, which is funded by the Hartford Foundation and the Gerontological Society of America […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Correctional Nursing in the UK - Aug 29,2011 August 29, 2011A chat with Ann Norman, SEN, RGN, a long time prison nurse now advising the Royal College of Nursing where she assists in the development of policy, support members locally and nationally across the 4 UK countries. In her role she actively supports the interests of prisoners and detainees, prison and police custody nursing staff, individuals who have a learn […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Thoughts on Correctional Nursing from the ACA Exhibit Hall - Aug 28,2011 August 28, 2011Lorry roams the Exhibit Hall at the 2011 American Correctional Association Conference in Orlando tracking down correctional nurses. They share advise for nurses new to the specialty.correctional nursing | American Correctional Association | Lorry Schoenly | corrections | nurse interviews […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Tales from the Jail: Inside Jail Nursing - Jun 30,2011 June 30, 2011Paul "Trey" Flores, BSN, RN, CCHP shares an insider look at nursing in couny jails and detention facilities. He should know, having worked a variety of these settings from small 400 inmate sites to those with over 3,700 average daily population.Jail Nursing | Correctional Health Care | Correctional Nursing | Trey FLores | Lorry Schoenly […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Critical Thinking in Correctional Nursing Practice - May 26,2011 May 26, 2011Lorry interviews Tre’ O’Brien, BSN, RN, CCHP-RN about her work in developing critical thinking skills for correctional nurses. Tre has been a registered nurse for over 23 years with experience in nursing including acute care, outpatient services and management. She has worked in correctional nursing for the past 16 years and currently practices as a clinical […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Understanding Inmate Seizure Disorders: Considering Psychogenic Causes - Apr 07,2011 April 7, 2011Guest Gregory Famiglio, MD discusses his experiences with seizure management in the inmate population, especially the challenges of psychogenic seizures and the female population. Dr. Famiglio practices in a female prison in the Pennsylvania Prison System. Seizures | Psychogenic | Corrections | Lorrys Schoenly | Gregory Famiglio […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Healthy Inmates 2020 - Mar 25,2011 March 25, 2011In this episode Lorry talks with Susan Tiona, MD, who is heading up a project which applies the Healthy People 2020 effort to the US inmate population. Dr. Tiona is a family practice physician currently practicing in a medium security prison in Colorado. More Healthy Inmate 2020 info can be found at their website: http://www.healthyinmates.org/Healthy Inmate […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- Psychiatric Emergency Response: Just In Time Intervention - Feb 17,2011 February 17, 2011Kat Major is an RN working a mobile unit that intervenes in psychiatric emergency situations in California. Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT)members ride with law enforcement during off-hours to respond to calls concerning mental health clients. Learn more about this unique service and the corrections connection.correctional health care | lorry scho […]CorrectionalNrsgTday
- I Can't Eat That! Food Allergies in Corrections - Dec 22,2011 December 22, 2011
- Correctional Nursing Today Podcasts
- HIV Treatment in Jails and PrisonsOriginally Aired January 13, 2011: Josiah Rich, MD, MPH, of Miriam Hospital and Borwn University talks about his research in preventing and treating HIV in the inmate population. Dr. Rich is the director and co-founder of the Center for Prison Health and Human Rights at the Miriam Hospital Immunology Center and is recent recipiant of one of 12 NIH grants to […]
- Improving Clinical Communication in CorrectionsOriginally Aired December 16, 2010: Effective communication improves patient safety and assures quality care, yet is a great challenge in the sometimes fragmented correctional healthcare system. Idaho Prison System nurse leaders share their tips for improving clinical communication including using the SBAR model for nurse-physician interactions. […]
- Reducing Legal Risk for Correctional NursesOriginally aired November 20, 2010: Valerie Lane, RN, CLNC, discusses legal risk for correctional nurses. Valerie is a certified legal nurse consultant specializing in correctional cases and has worked many years in the California Corrections System. […]
- Cancer Care Behind BarsOriginally aired October 27, 2010: A chat with Gail Kwarciany, RN, MSN, about her work with inmate cancer patients at UTMB, Galveston. Discussion includes the challenges of cancer care behind bars and the special needs of inmates with cancer. […]
- Infusing End of Life CareOriginally aired August 31, 2010: Susan Loeb, PhD, RN, discusses the National Institute of Nursing Research Grant funded project to include End-of-Life Care in corrections. Dr. Loeb is Associate Professor of Nursing at the Pennsylvania State University and Faculty Affiliate in the Gerontology Cneter and Bioethics Program. She is Principle Investigator for th […]
- Failure to RescueOriginally aired August 19, 2010: Sue Smith, RN, MSN, CCHP-RN, joins Lorry to discuss the issue of failure to rescue. First recognized in acute care facilities, failure to rescue has come to be associated with understaffing, lack of communication, healthcare staff who become overly task oriented and to lack of vigilance. In the correctional setting, inmate-p […]
- Inmate Health Perspective with Author Piper KermanOriginally Aired July 14, 2010: Piper Kerman, author of the memoir "Orange is the New Black" discusses her book and experiences in a federal prison, focusing on the healthcare perspective. […]
- Exploring Juvenile Correctional NursingOriginally aired July 1, 2010: A chat with Ellyn Presley, RN, CCHP, Public Health Nurse at Prince William County Juvenile Detention Center. Ellyn has worked in Juvenile Corrections for almost 20 years and is very active in professional correctional health care activities. […]
- Correctional Nurse TrailblazerOriginally aired June 17, 2010: Lorry chats with Jackie Moore, PhD, RN, CCHP-A, CCHP-RN, about the beginnings of organized correctional healthcare. Whe was there at the start! Dr. Moore has over 3 decades of nursing experience primarily in corrections and started the first correctional healthcare company providing services to facilities in the northeast. She […]
- Double Down on TB in JailsOriginally posted 06-02-2010: Janice B Hill, RN, MPH, is a correctional nurse leader with nearly 3 decades of experience with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office in Largo, FL. She is an active nurse educator frequently presenting on juvenile standards for the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. She was instrumental in the development of Fl […]
- Preventing Suicides in Jails and PrisonsOriginally posted 05-06-2010: Lorry talks with Anne Hanson, MD, about strides made to reduce suicide in corrections. Dr. Hanson is the director of the University of Maryland's forensic psychiatry fellowship program and chair of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law's correctional psychiatry committee. She has worked in correctional psychiatry […]
- Talking About Jail NursingOriginally Posted 04-14-2010: Becky Pinney, MSN, RN joins Lorry to provide an insider look at jail nursing. Becky is currently President, Metropolitan Corrections Systems, for Prison HEalth Services with multi-facility responsibilities for PHS sites and regions. In her current position, she is responsible for the oversight and direction to facility-based sta […]
- ANA Correctional Nursing StandardsOriginally posted 03-19-10: Lorry talks with Catherine Knox, MS, RN, CCHP-RN, about the latest revision of the Scope and Standards for Correctional Nursing. Catherine has 22 years of correctional nursing experience in a variety of settings. She was the Statewide Director of Nursing for the Washington Department of Corrections from 2004 until the Fall of 2008 […]
- Is Prison Nursing for Me?Originally Posted 02-18-2011: Margaret M. Collatt, BSN, RN, CCHP-RN/A, joins Lorry to talk about correctional nursing in the prison setting - What it takes to be a Correctional Nurse. Margaret has over 26 years of correctional healthcare experience and was the Health Services Manager at the Oregon State Penitentiary for 8 1/2 hears. She has developed and ins […]
- Dealing with EmergenciesOriginally Posted 02-09-2010: Lorry interviews SUsan Laffan RN, CCHP-RN/A about how to handle emergency medical issues in a correctional facility. Susan has been a registered nurse for 28 years. She has worked in the ED for 28 years and correctional nursing for 18 years. Susan is currently the chairperson of the Academy of Correctional Health Professionals. […]
- History of Correctional NursingOriginally posted 01-21-10: Mary Muse, MS, RN, CCHP-A, joins Lorry to talk about the hisory of the correcitional nursing specialty and its future direction. Mary has over 14 years of correctional health care experience and was the Chief Nursing Officer for the Cook COunty correctional system for a dozen years. She currently works in the Wisconsin State Priso […]
- HIV Treatment in Jails and Prisons
Lorry Schoenly
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News Briefs- They call us 'jail nurses' January 13, 2012
- Pennsylvania county OKs inmate medical costs program January 13, 2012
- Ensuring standards are standard behind bars January 13, 2012
- Academy seeks scholarship applicants January 13, 2012
- Study: Why is alcohol addictive? January 13, 2012
- California convicts arrive in Los Angeles County with costly mental illnesses January 13, 2012
- Do no harm — and keep an eye on costs January 13, 2012
- Xanax abuse and addiction January 13, 2012
- Prometa protocol: Not effective for meth dependence? January 13, 2012
- Brain activity linked to delusion-like experience January 13, 2012
Corrections One- Contraband: Cell phone carrier pigeonThis photo, taken by the Sao Paulo State Prison Affairs Department, shows a live pigeon carrying a makeshift backpack with a cell phone in it.The bird was caught flying into a prison in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In Sao Paulo, gangs frequently use carrier pigeons to smuggle phones behind bars. Tell us: Have you ever seen something like this at your facility?Have you […]
- Top 3 challenges for women in corrections in 2012I have worked in male dominated professions my entire life. I started in a county jail in the 80s where the only women were me, the nursing staff and a former Jail Matron who had managed to work her way up to Assistant Superintendent. When I got there in the 80's, I had little trouble adapting to jail life. The inmates seemed receptive but I faced chall […]
- 4 correctional healthcare game changers from 2011By Lorry SchoenlyAnother year is here and we can look back on plenty of correctional healthcare news from 2011. What top stories from the past year are most memorable to you? Here are my top picks for 2011 game changers along with suggested action to reduce their impact. #1 Legal eagles rule the roost Healthcare is now the most common legal issue raised by i […]
- Top 10 corrections resolutions for 2012By Robert HoodAs 2011 comes to an end, it is time to make plans for 2012. Many people are thinking of resolutions for the New Year. Each year millions of adults resolve to "get in shape" or "lose weight." While the effort to adopt resolutions shows an optimistic sense of good intent personally, the same idea can be applied to your profess […]
- 5 most dangerous contraband items of 2012By Joe BouchardIt is easier to look back than to look forward. No matter if you are Nostradamus or Jean Dixon or even the modern-day psychic Sylvia Browne, making predictions for coming times can be tricky. This is especially true if your ego makes it difficult to commit an error.No Nostradamus am I! Still. I can make two predictions for the year 2012. First […]
- Private corrections: We can do it better and cheaperBy Charles AlbinoIn the first segment of this series, I detailed some of the conditions that led to the formation of private companies to operate correctional facilities in the United States. As we move forward in Part 2, we will hear from the private sector and why they believe they merit a "place at the table" in correctional facility operations. […]
- When officials fall from graceBy Cherrie GrecoWhen well-known officials fall from grace, members of the general public express a variety of emotions and impose vigorous vocal judgment. Feelings of shock, disgust, and disappointed head-shaking are commonly exchanged at the water cooler. Faith in a system once trusted becomes fragile; trust caves in and is replaced by cynicism. In time, th […]
- Success with one is success with manyBy Eugene AthertonI remember a promotional interview for Warden in our correctional system. I suggested that effective leaders encourage successful relationships among staff in order to achieve success. When asked how that could be done, I answered, "One relationship at time." Now, at the time I was not sure of the meaning of the statement. It soun […]
- Top 10 corrections stories of 2011: A look backBy Carol McKinley Stories come and go throughout the year on our website, and there are so many, sometimes we forget them. So CorrectionsOne looked back at the most popular stories of the year and called the people and facilities involved to get an update. Here's a look back at the top stories of 2011. 1. The 23-year-old California woman who police say […]
- California corrections 2011: A year in reviewBy Bob WalshThis has been a momentous year for the profession within the formerly great state of California. Monumental. Nearly overwhelming. Maybe even disastrous. It depends a lot on who you ask and from which side of the issues you are looking.The Books Not Bars crowd is no doubt deliriously happy about the near-total demise of the Division of Juvenile Ju […]
