Maintaining a Nursing Perspective in Correctional Practice

Working in a correctional environment as a nurse can be very challenging. Without awareness, nurses can absorb the perspective of the surrounding culture – both of the officer staff and the patients. By necessity, custody officers have a different perspective on their role and differing goals than that of health care providers. 

This course will point out important nursing perspectives that must be consciously embraced to effectively deliver nursing care in a correctional environment. By pondering your professional nursing role, you can avoid being absorbed into the dominant culture of the criminal justice community and discover your place of healthcare advocacy.

While this course mainly focuses on nursing practice in the criminal justice system, the information is helpful for nurses in all practice settings who come into contact with prisoner patients.

Objectives

Upon completion of this  course, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe caring as it relates to correctional nursing practice.
  2. Compare the “Goldilocks Syndrome” with the “Golden Rules” of correctional practice.
  3. Outline elements and challenges in developing trust relationships with correctional patients.
  4. Identify inmate tactics and nurse vulnerabilities for being targeted for manipulation in the correctional setting.

Curriculum

Chapter 1: Defining Caring in Correctional Nursing

  • The Experience of Caring in Corrections
  • Correctional Nurse Perspective: Inmate or Patient?
  • Correctional Nurse Dilemma: Compassion or Cynicism
  • Struggling with Instant Disbelief

Chapter 2: Goldilocks and Golden Rules

  • Goldilocks Syndrome – Too hard, Too soft, Just right
  • Golden Principles – Firm, Fair, Consistent

Chapter 3: Developing a Trust Relationship

  • Elements of a Trust Relationship
  • Trust Booby Traps
  • Saying NO

Chapter 4: Avoiding Becoming a Target

  • Inmate Tactics
  • Nurse Vulnerabilities
  • Watch for These Techniques
  • Protecting Yourself from Manipulation

Chapter 5: References

Price: $12.00

Contact Hour: 1

Course Author

Lorry Schoenly

Lorry Schoenly, PhD, RN, CCHP-RN is a nurse author and educator specializing in the field of correctional health care. She provides consulting services to jails and prisons across the country on projects to improve professional nursing practice and patient safety. 

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Course Accreditation

See our Accreditation Statements page to view our accreditation information.

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