You evaluated a patient an hour ago. The vital signs were within normal limits, your focused nursing assessment was reassuring, and the patient returned to housing. As you finish documenting the encounter, another nurse asks, "How's the patient doing now?" It's a simple question, but one that can ... Read More about Correctional Nurse Professional Practice Update: Why Reassessment Matters

The morning medication line is moving quickly. Officers are trying to keep the line flowing, and dozens of incarcerated persons are still waiting for their medications. As one patient reaches the medication window, he quietly says, "I've had a terrible headache since last night. Can I get some ... Read More about Clinical Decision Making: The Headache in Medication Line

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 ... Read More about Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Hypertension

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 ... Read More about The Quiet Leadership of the Correctional Nurse

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 ... Read More about What Does “Provider Notified” Really Mean?