Correctional Nursing Survey, Please help

ragingmomster, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 4, 2003

We have nursing protocols for minor injuries and health problems. We can medicate within these protocols. There are tooooo many to list here, but they include colds, sprains, bee stings, lice, you get the jist. We don't use the term ranges, we have housing units, and sick call is only done in the segregation unit. Others must come to the infirmary. We see inmates who need meds 3-4 times daily on the units for meds only. The lines are too long to do anything but pass meds and check parameters if needed. Maximum security for us is aobut 200 beds in the county jail, segregation unit.

ajsmomma · Sep 4, 2003

Originally posted by Honda
Are you allowed to give protocol meds to inmates and, if so, could you tell me what some of them are?

How often do you need to see inmates on ranges and conduct sick line with them there?

What do you call your maximum-security area? Do you run sick line there or is that something only PA's or physicians do?

I work at a county jail that house's almost 1500 inmates. We have a large nursing protocol book that we are allowed to order meds from, ranging from acne to vomiting. I believe there are over 50 different protocols.

I am not familiar with what you call "ranges". All of our inmates have to send in a sick call form to see the doctor or receive a nursing protocol for a minor problem.

Our maximum-security area is called "max" or "ms". Again they have to submit a sick call form for care. We also do "lock-down" rounds 3 times a week, where we offer them sick call forms and document whether they requested medical care or not.

I hope that answer's your questions. :)

lpn3324 · Sep 6, 2003

We also have a list of protocols and assesments that was can give OTC meds for. We do daily sick call for general population,and sick call rounds monday thru friday for confinement (lock down) inmates. This is the basics at all the Region 2 facilities in Florida.

Hope this helps.

vjtori · Sep 7, 2003

I'm not sure what you mean by protocol meds? Are you referring to meds that are given under MD Standing Orders? - If that is what you are referring to, we have about 60 standing orders that specify how to address the inmates' chief complaint.

THen, there are specific assessments to be done under each particular standing order.

If what the i/m's chief complaint is and if the majority of the assessments are covered in the standing order, then we have "standing order" medications that can be signed out and given to the inmate immediately. The majority of the medications are OTC meds - there are a few exceptions, like muscle relaxers. Motrin 400 mg, Motrin 600 mg, and Vistaril.

We do sick call four days a week (M,Tu,W,Fr) for the "compound." We also have about 900 YOIP's (Youth Offender Incarceration Program, 17-25 yo's) that we go to their dorm for sick call on the same days mentioned above. We go to SMU (Segregation Management Unit, or lock-up x3d/wk. We also have to go the the dorms on lockdown (this is 23yr. lockup, 1 hr. rec) which is a separate unit on each regular dorm. Our current institutional population is 1350, and another 260-bed unit is ready to be opened as soon as enough security is hired and trained. They have about 19 more officers to hire before it can be opened.

THe above is based on SC Dept. of Corrections Medical DIrectives - which pertains to all 33 institutions in the state.

Our physician is only on-site 5 hr/day x 3 days week. He only conducts Clinic from the Medical Department; he does not go to any dorms. Lock-ups and lock-downs have to be brought to us.

This particular practice is usually institutionally decided - there are no policies regarding this.

Doris Faye · Dec 5, 2003

I work parttime in a 400 all male prison. We conduct sick call seven days a week. The offender has to submit a sick call request to be seen unless it is an emergency (chest pain, short of breath etc). We have a range of protocols and administer meds both over the counter and prescription. The doctor visits our facility three days a week. The nurses diagnose and administer treatment to inmates and then refer inmates upon our discreation to the doctor.

nursewatson · Dec 7, 2003

I work in a correction facility in Tn ,the inmates have to sign up to be on sickcall we do sick call 7 days a week for max inmates and 5 days a week for compound and annex.

There all several protocol drugs we can use but most are over the counter drugs. If these drugs don't help after a few times then we can refer them to the Dr or Nurse Practioner who are both there mon. thru fri. and on call most other times in case of emergency.

Nurses are the ones that deal with sick call and unless it is an emergency they come to us.The inmates in Max cannot come to us we have to go to them , the Dr also has to go to them too most of the time.

Hope this has been Helpful too you!

babycar · Feb 24, 2004

The dr. at our institution signs the orders you write. Tylenol, motrin, sudafed, but big problems we call dr. or NP. Try to have a few things to call them about so your not calling frequently. We write them like a telephone order but then she signs the order , the next day. This is not good practice and our license are put into jeopardy. we are not as nurses to prescribe. If your institution has something in writing that is the policy , you are probably more safe. Any questions , i'd call Albany and ask the licence board. babycar.

susan18 · Mar 6, 2004

Are you allowed to give protocol meds to inmates and, if so, could you tell me what some of them are?
How often do you need to see inmates on ranges and conduct sick line with them there?
What do you call your maximum-security area? Do you run sick line there or is that something only PA's or physicians do?

reply to Honda: I work in a state prison for 1300 women. We have a nursing protocol book with standing orders signed by our state Medical Director. They range from GI meds, to cold remedies, to acne meds, hydrocortisone cream, miconazole lady partsl cream, chlortrimeton, orificeol, generic Bengay ointment. We do sick call in the nursing stations of the female dorms, by appt. Each inmate has to sign up for a 15-min. slot. We handle only 2 problems at any one visit. Our "max" area is called "Segregation". It is 2 buildings with 4-5 quads each of individual cell blocks. Death row is on one of these also. We have a 3rd seg area that is at the other end of our compound, within a dorm unit, but separate. It is a lockdown segregation unit. All of our "seg" women have access to sick call. The sick call RNs go to the individual cells (outside only) and conduct sick call through the trap door, unless it is an issue that requires closer inspection that cannot be done that way. We were having trouble with inmates falsifying requests for sick call just to get out of their cells and be escorted to the nurses stations that are in the seg units. Then they would refuse once they got there, and we are not allowed to charge them for that refusal. They were also submitting really bogus sick calls. Once we started conducting the sick calls at their cells on the outside of the door, the problem ceased. That was a custody, not nursing decision, by the way. They told us it was becoming a security issue, so we had to comply. :rolleyes:

susan18