Essentials of Correctional Nursing

The specialty practice of correctional nursing is growing to meet the healthcare needs of over 2.3 million inmates in US prisons. This introductory text is the only one to comprehensively address the nursing care of the inmate-patient population. It is based on the requirements of the newly developed certification in correctional nursing, and will serve as a thorough study guide for this exam. It will also be useful as a quick reference for novice and experienced correctional nurses. The text describes the unique environment of the prisons jails and other correctional settings where health care is not considered a primary mission. It examines the abundance of ethical and legal issues to be considered along with issues of safety for nurse and patient. Common health care concerns and diseases prevalent among the inmate population are described, including alcohol and drug withdrawal, chronic diseases, dental conditions, end of life and palliative care, concerns specific to female inmates and juvenile offenders, and more. The book also covers systems and processes for effective delivery of nursing care within the corrections environment, and professional roles and responsibilities. Key Features: Provides core principles and practices of correctional nursing. Serves as a study guide for correctional certificate courses and as a review course for correctional nursing specialty exam. Includes key nursing assessments and actions for common conditions. Promotes critical thinking with case studies in each chapter. Features comments from corrections clinical experts in jails, prisons, and juvenile detention centres.

Lorry Schoenly, PhD, CCHP-RN, has over 25 years of experience in nursing and health care education and management, with current specialization in corrections. She was a leading member of the taskforce that launched the new CCHP-RN certification, the primary nursing specialty certification for correctional nurses, and frequent contributing writer to the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC). Her blog (CorrectionalNurse.net) represents the current state of correctional nursing. Previous experience in correctional nursing includes Clinical Education Manager, Correctional Medical Servcies (CMS), now Corizon, a company provideing ambulatory, chronic and emergency health care to 250,000 individuals incarcerated in 280 jails and prisons in 24 states, and Director, Staff Development CMS, NJ Region, with responsibility for creating and implementing in-service and continuing education for physicians, nurses, dentists and acilliary healthcare staff for a 14-unit state prison system. Currently, she is a visiting professor at Chamberlain School of Nursing while managing a private consulting business in correctional health care risk management and professional development. She has published 14 peer reviewed articles and several chapters in nursing books. ||Catherine M. Knox, RN, MN, CCHP-RN, has over 2 decades of experience in correctional health care. She is an independent consultant with nursing and leadership experience in the Oregon Department of Corrections and as statewide Director of Nursing for the Washington Department of Corrections, and Assistant Statewide Chief Nurse Executive for the California Prison Health Care Services. Catherine has a master's degree in psychiatric mental health nursing and has both administrative and clinical experience in this field. She is a recipient of the ""Distinguished Service Award"" from the American Correctional Health Services Association (ACHSA) and the ""Bernard Harrison Award of Merit"" from the NCCHC. She has published several articles in peer reviewed journals and presents frequently in the US.