Over the past thirty years, I have had the privilege of working alongside hundreds of correctional nurses. They have practiced in county jails, state prisons, federal facilities, juvenile centers, and detention facilities across the country. They have been LPN/LVNs, RNs, APRNs, new graduates, seasoned clinicians, staff nurses, managers, educators, and leaders. Although their backgrounds and experiences have been very different,…
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One of the first lessons new correctional nurses learn is that they do not practice alone. Unlike many other healthcare settings, correctional nurses work side-by-side with correctional officers every day. Each profession has different responsibilities, different training, and different priorities, yet both share responsibility for the safety and well-being of the incarcerated population. Developing a respectful and collaborative working relationship…
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The housing officer catches you as you’re walking back from medication administration.“Can you come take a look at Mr. Jones? I can’t really explain it…he just doesn’t look right.”You ask what he means.“I don’t know. He’s just not acting like himself.”The patient walks into the clinic without assistance. He answers your questions appropriately. His vital signs are within normal limits,…
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