Does Correctional Nurse

Job Overview

A correctional nurse works to provide care to inmates in a correctional facility. This type of nurse is expected to provide quality health care to his patients without regard to why they have been incarcerated. Like other nurses, a correctional nurse works under the supervision of a physician and often performs his job as part of a team of nurses or medical care staff.

He may assist doctors and nurse practitioners, administer medications, provide first aid and emergency care, monitor inmate health, and care for inmates according to the instructions provided by the facility's physician or nurse practitioner.

• Assists doctors and nurse practitioners, administers medications, provides first aid and emergency care, monitors inmate health, and follows the facility’s physician or nurse practitioner instructions.
• Administers approved medications to inmates, monitors vital signs, and checks for signs of deteriorating or improving health.
• Assesses sick inmates for signs of illness, refers patients for examination by the prison doctor, dentist, or psychiatrist, and provides first aid or assists with examinations and treatments.
• Monitors patients with chronic illnesses and assists with therapeutic drug administration, cast placements, or use of medical devices in special medical cells.
• Ensures safety procedures are followed, properly handles bodily fluids, needles, and hazardous waste to prevent disease spread among inmates and staff.