Managing dental conditions is not a part of most nursing positions and little dental training is provided in nursing school. However, correctional nurses are most often the first healthcare staff to evaluate a dental complaint and make determinations regarding referrals for treatment and urgency of care delivery. Most intake screenings include a review of dental conditions. In the next few weeks,…
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Correctional Nurse Practice Update: Using the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Scope of Practice Decision-Making Framework
In our last post, we met LPN Suzanna, who had closed a 3 cm laceration on the forehead of her patient with Dermabond, even though she had not been formally trained in the procedure. She was instructed to perform the closure by the on-call provider, Dr. Smith. The wound healed well without any complications. When her supervisor questioned her the…
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Correctional Nurse Practice Update: Scope of Practice
LPN Suzanna is on duty at the county jail when Mr. Martin strikes his head on the top bunk metal frame. She is called to the pod, and after determining that Mr. Martin is stable with only a 3 cm laceration to the middle of his forehead, she brings him to the medical unit. After she cleans the wound and…
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