Chronic disease is common among our patients. In fact, 43% of federal inmates, 51% of state inmates, and 40% of local jail inmates have at least one chronic condition. Our patients have more diabetes, hypertension, prior myocardial infarction, and persistent asthma than the general population. This means all of us are managing chronic care clinics. Although often considered a provider’s responsibility, nurses play a significant role in chronic care management through

•  Patient teaching
• Medication administration
• Symptom management
• Lifestyle adjustment

Accreditation standards and best practices call for the use of national clinical practice guidelines in managing chronic conditions. Here is a quick-start list of resources for guidelines that can be used in a correctional setting.

•  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• National Institutes of Health HIVinfo website
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
• American Heart Association
• American Diabetes Association
• Substance Use Disorder resources
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) Clinical Practice Guidelines

Arthritis 

• American College of Rheumatology (ACR)

Asthma 

• FBOP Adult Asthma Guidelines 

Diabetes 

• FBOP Adult Diabetes Guidelines 

Hypertension 

• FBOP Hypertension Guideline

Hyperlipidemia

• American Heart Association

HIV Infection Management 

• FBOP HIV Infection Management Guidelines 

Sickle Cell Disease

• CDC Sickle Cell Disease Clinical Guidelines

Mental Health

• American Psychiatric Association

What sources do you have for clinical practice guidelines? Please share your favorite links in the comments section of this post.