OVERVIEW AND DESCRIPTION OF THE ROLE
Nursing involves health promotion, protection, prevention, health maintenance and restoration, capacity building, creating professional relationships, facilitation access and equity, and demonstrating professional responsibility (Community Health Nurses of Canada, 2011). This holds true for correctional nursing as well.
Nurses in prisons are very important. Nurses provide the majority of care to inmates (Correctional Service of Canada [CSC], 2013). There are more than 700 nurses in Canada working in a correctional institution (CSC, 2013). These nurses care for inmates throughout the whole duration of their stay in a correctional facility and carry out many of the same tasks that a nurse in a hospital or a typical community setting would, but focus on the needs of the specific population (CSC, 2013).
Nurses in prisons are very important. Nurses provide the majority of care to inmates (Correctional Service of Canada [CSC], 2013). There are more than 700 nurses in Canada working in a correctional institution (CSC, 2013). These nurses care for inmates throughout the whole duration of their stay in a correctional facility and carry out many of the same tasks that a nurse in a hospital or a typical community setting would, but focus on the needs of the specific population (CSC, 2013).
Some of the roles correctional nurses provide are:
· Disease prevention & control
· Methadone programs
· Suicide prevention
· Discharge planning
· Mental health interventions
· Recording health history
· Immunizations
· Health education (CSC, 2013)
· Triage
· Wound care
· Medications (Caring in corrections, 2010).
Further than simply treating health problems that arise, correctional nurses try to find ways to make their patients (inmates) healthier (Caring in corrections, 2010). Since correctional nurses are the primary care givers to prisoners they have more say in their patient’s care and decision making than other nurses might (CSC, 2013). Decisions are to be made using knowledge of skills, experience and judgement (CSC, 2013). It is important that correctional nurses view and treat their patients as human beings and not as criminals (Caring in corrections, 2010). By treating and caring for these patients, correctional nurses are able to help enhance the health of inmates and assist with the reintegration of these inmates back into normal society (CSC, 2010).
· Disease prevention & control
· Methadone programs
· Suicide prevention
· Discharge planning
· Mental health interventions
· Recording health history
· Immunizations
· Health education (CSC, 2013)
· Triage
· Wound care
· Medications (Caring in corrections, 2010).
Further than simply treating health problems that arise, correctional nurses try to find ways to make their patients (inmates) healthier (Caring in corrections, 2010). Since correctional nurses are the primary care givers to prisoners they have more say in their patient’s care and decision making than other nurses might (CSC, 2013). Decisions are to be made using knowledge of skills, experience and judgement (CSC, 2013). It is important that correctional nurses view and treat their patients as human beings and not as criminals (Caring in corrections, 2010). By treating and caring for these patients, correctional nurses are able to help enhance the health of inmates and assist with the reintegration of these inmates back into normal society (CSC, 2010).
Some aspects of correctional nurses:
Primary Care Primary care is the type of care that is delivered in prisons. Nurses are the first point of care for many of the inmates therefore nurses greatly affect the health and well-being of inmates. Nurses are seen upon arrival, any time a health issue arises, when an injury occurs, interventions and at any point deemed necessary (ANA, 2013). Medication Management A nurse in a correctional facility, just like any other nurse, is required to administer and have a strong knowledge base of medications that are administered. Not only are nurses required to know what each medication if for, it is his or her job to educate their patient’s on what each medication is for and what it does (ANA, 2013). Health promotion As nurses we are taught to be educators and promoters of health. In prisons, nurses work to educate inmates on their health and healthy behaviors in order to keep them safe and healthy while behind bars. Nurses also work to develop care plans and examine their effectiveness. Nurses collaborate with other health care professionals in order to provide optimal care for their patients to increase health and well-being. Correctional nurses, just like other nurses, provide linkages to other resources for inmates to access while not only behind bars, but once they have been re-introduced to the community (ANA, 2013). Preservation of Safety Correctional nurses need to be able to negotiate in order to protect the safety of themselves, the patient and other members of the community. Though protecting and advocating for criminals may be an ethical concern for some, it is the correctional nurses job to treat each patient as a human being and provide a non-judgmental, caring and healing space (ANA, 2013). |
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