Correctional Nurse Clinical Update: Seizure Disorder
During intake at a county jail, Mr. Simpson reports a history of seizures that began 25 years ago when he was a pedestrian struck by an 18-wheeler. He reports that he has not taken medication in a few...
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Professional Practice: The Seven Guiding Principles I
I was recently honored to address the nursing leadership of a state-wide Department of Correction at their quarterly meeting. When trying to decide upon a topic, I opened my Correctional Nursing:...
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Clinical Update: Seizures in Corrections- Are They Real?
At just about every Seizure Disorder presentation for Correctional Nurses I have given or attended, the question of identifying “real” seizures versus “fake” seizures has come up. It is understandable...
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Professional Practice: The Seven Guiding Principles II
In this post, we continue our discussion of the Seven Guiding Principles for Correctional Nursing practice. Principle 6 Principle 6: Correctional Nurses promote quality patient care. Correctional...
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Clinical Update: Alcohol Withdrawal
If you work in a correctional facility, it is vitally important that you can appropriately recognize, assess and implement interventions for Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS). It is the most dangerous...
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Clinical Update: Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Monitoring and...
Benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed for anxiety and sleep disorders. They are also popular for self-medicating purposes. They are rarely abused alone, and are often combined with alcohol or...
View ArticleUnexplained Unconsciousness: Consider Drug Overdose!
Mr. Foster had a difficult time withdrawing from heroin when he was admitted to the jail 10 days ago on a burglary charge. He was stealing to meet the demands of his 5-bag a day heroin habit. A...
View ArticleBody Packing and Body Stuffing: What You Need to Know
Mr. Jones, a man incarcerated two days ago when he turned himself in on a drug warrant, is admitted to the jail infirmary in respiratory distress. He had started vomiting earlier in the day. This...
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Practice Update: Developing Moral Resilience
Resilience is the ability to bounce back or cope successfully despite adversity. Moral resilience is the capacity of the person to preserve or restore integrity in response to moral adversity. It is...
View ArticleCorrectional Nursing Practice Update: The Basics of Caring for Incarcerated...
Providing health care to incarcerated patients is different than other types of nursing practice; yet nursing principles remain the same. Nurses entering the world of correctional practice can have...
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Clinical Update: Dental Assessment
Nurses are the healthcare professionals most frequently performing health screening during intake and booking. Since the initial screening is meant to reveal the need for immediate attention, nurses...
View ArticleClinical Practice Update: Caring for Incarcerated Women
My first job in correctional health was a position at a female prison. I had always been interested in women’s health, and this seemed like a great fit. I soon realized that my colleagues at the male...
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Practice Update: Correctional Nurse Fatigue
Research is growing to indicate that nurse fatigue can have a detrimental effect on patient safety.
View ArticleCorrectional Nursing Practice: Jails versus Prisons
If you don’t work in corrections, you might not know that there is a difference between a jail and a prison. Jails and prisons have different functions and patient populations. The type of healthcare...
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Practice Update: Excited Delirium
It is 5:00 pm on a Saturday night, and Mr. Joel arrives at Booking in the County Jail in the custody of four Deputies. The Deputies tell you that he was picked up at the train station because he was...
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Clinical Update: Post Pepper Spray Care
Pepper spray is a popular option to subdue violent incarcerated persons when other de-escalation methods fail. It is preferred over options of lethal force in most correctional settings. A call just...
View ArticleCorrectional Nursing: Is It For You?
Very few nurses decide on a nursing career with the thought "I want to be a jail nurse"
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Clinical Update: Sharps Safety
I consult with jails and prisons across the country regarding healthcare programs, Correctional Nursing practice, and patient and staff safety. Sharps safety is one area that continues to be a concern....
View ArticleCorrectional Nurse Clinical Update: How to Perform a Psychiatric Nursing...
Serious mental illness affects at least one in four incarcerated individuals in the US according to a 2015 study by the Urban Institute. More than half of our patients have symptoms of a mental...
View ArticleEmbracing Gratitude
Sometimes, when individuals go through difficult times like we have in the past 18 months, they forget that there are many things in their life for which they should be thankful. Research has shown...
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