Some days it is hard to remember why you chose Correctional Nursing, right? Maybe you were finally able to convince the laundry staff that you really DO need sheets in the infirmary this morning. Or, possibly you’ve just been told that the medical officer was pulled to a housing unit for a contraband sweep and afternoon med pass will be…
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Correctional Nurse Professional Practice Update: Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and use emotions effectively—both one’s own and others’. It includes five key components: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Each of these plays an important role in the day-to-day work of a correctional nurse. First, self-awareness helps correctional nurses recognize their own emotional responses to stressful situations. Working with incarcerated individuals can sometimes…
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Correctional Nurse Clinical Update: Keep on Person Medication Tips
A patient arrives at the medication window one morning with an empty blister pack of Truvada. It is only ten days since he received a month’s supply. He is evasive initially about why they are already gone. After some questioning, the nurse discovers that Truvada brings a high price on the prison black market as a ‘prevention’ for AIDs. Keep…
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