Hypertension is one of the most common chronic conditions encountered in correctional healthcare. Most nurses learn about blood pressure ranges, medications, and the risks associated with uncontrolled hypertension during nursing school. What took me longer to learn were some of the practical lessons that come from caring for patients with hypertension in a correctional setting. One of the first things…
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Correctional nurses rarely think of themselves as leaders. We don’t have the titles, the corner offices, or the visible authority that people often associate with leadership. But every day behind the wall, correctional nurses lead in ways that profoundly shape patient care, safety, and the culture of the facility. Leadership begins the moment we step onto the unit. We are…
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One of the most common phrases documented in correctional healthcare is also one of the least informative: “Provider notified.” As correctional nurses, we know provider notification is an essential part of patient care. When a patient’s condition changes, assessment findings are abnormal, or nursing interventions are not producing the expected response, the provider must often be contacted for additional direction….
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