I recently observed a Nursing Sick Call encounter and when it was completed, I asked the nurse a few questions about the patient’s complaint and discussed her use of the nursing protocols and the patient education she provided. I noted that she did an excellent job using therapeutic communication with the patient, and it was clear, as a result, that…
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Correctional Nurse Clinical Update: The Elderly Population in Corrections
The Extent of the Problem The incarcerated elderly (defined as persons over 50 or 55 years of age) is the fastest growing segment of the incarcerated US population. The Bureau of Prisons’ statistics from May 2022 indicate that 19.3% of the population is 51 years or older. This growth is expected to continue for many reasons, including longer sentencing, tougher drug…
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Correctional Nurse Clinical Update: Endocarditis III
In this post, we continue with our series about Endocarditis with a discussion of Non-Infective Endocarditis and the Nursing Interventions for the patient with Endocarditis. CAUSES OF NON-INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS Non-Infective Endocarditis occurs when fibrous blood clots without bacteria form on damaged heart valves. Damage may be due to a birth defect, rheumatic fever, or an autoimmune disorder (where antibodies attack the heart valves);…
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