Emma was having a busy evening shift at the minimum security prison she has worked at for the last couple years when officers called on her to evaluate an inmate having trouble breathing. While he was transported to the medical unit, Emma pulled his medical record and was reminded that she had seen him before for asthma exacerbation. He had…
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After working for 6 weeks in a large urban jail, Marta, a night shift registered nurse, is told that court monitors will be arriving next week to evaluate health care related to a consent decree. They will be reviewing her documentation on early morning withdrawal rounds. As the days go by, tension is building for the stressful visit. Marta is…
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Primary concerns in substance withdrawal are alcohol and opiates, and rightly so. Withdrawal of these two drugs of abuse can cause serious health concern. Stimulants such as cocaine, methamphetamine, crack, and amphetamines are also popular among the inmate patient population and can cause significant effects when abruptly withdrawn upon incarceration. Fortunately, stimulant withdrawal, while uncomfortable, is rarely life-threatening. A Case…
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