The U.S. prison population is aging. With nearly one in five incarcerated individuals over the age of 50, correctional facilities are increasingly functioning as de facto long-term care providers. Among the many challenges this shift presents, two significant and often under-recognized issues are delirium and dementia. Incarcerated older adults, including those in prisons, jails and detention centers, are uniquely vulnerable…
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Correctional Nurse Professional Practice Update: The New ANA Code of Ethics Provision 4
We have begun our review of the new 2025 Code of Ethics for Nurses published by the American Nurses Association with a review of Provision 1, 2 and 3. In this post, we will discuss Provision 4. Provision 4: Nurses have authority over nursing practice and are responsible and accountable for their practice consistent with their obligations to promote health,…
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Correctional Nurse Professional Practice Update: Working with Correctional Officers
In most settings where nurses practice, the interdisciplinary team includes other health care professionals such as physicians, diagnostic technicians, and pharmacists. Sure, there may be unlicensed ancillary staff in the mix such as admissions clerks and supply personnel, but everyone is generally focused on the goal of providing health care. Not so in a correctional facility. Here, in addition to…
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