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Career OverviewThe main role of a prison or correctional nurse is to provide healthcare to the inmates of prisons, jails, correctional systems, penitentiaries, juvenile offender facilities, staffing agencies or other correctional facilities. Many prison nurses feel that they are far safer working in a correctional institution than other nurses who work in hospital emergency rooms. They make a difference in an inmate’s life and receive patient gratitude in return.
A prison nurse attends clients from children to adults that are suffering from illness or disease, making a difference in the quality of their lives. One main difference between prison nurses and other specialty nurses is that they work in an environment where it is up to them to make most of the decisions. Physicians make the majority of decisions for other nursing specialists.
Because many inmates have avoided looking after their health over many years, due to avoiding capture or lack of insurance, a prison nurse deals with a wide range of illnesses and disease. They get personal satisfaction from treating inmates who are grateful for the healthcare they receive from a prison nurse, as many have never received medical help before.
Some of the necessary skills a prison nurse possesses are the ability to work and function independently, trauma skills and they perform medical emergency management and surgical management. When pre-approved by a physician, some prison nurses administer prescription medication to inmates when they meet a certain symptom criteria.
Prison nurses handle and treat a wide range of diseases and emergencies such as:
- Puncture and stab wounds
- Athlete’s foot
- Trauma
- Renal failure/dialysis
- Terminal cancer
- Substance abuse
- Influenza
- Chronic health conditions
- Aids
- Respiratory disease
Because of many inmates’ previous hi-risk lifestyles that included poor living conditions, drugs, no medical care and alcohol addiction, prison nurses work with many rare diseases that are not found as often in the general population.
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Career RequirementsTo receive a nursing diploma usual takes three years while a nursing degree requires up to four years. A person must be at least seventeen and a half to apply to the Nursing and Midwifery Admissions Service. A student should apply early, as they accept applications a year in advance.
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Job OutlookBased on information from the Department of Health, there is a strong overall demand for prison or correctional nurses with the highest demand being in large cities and populated areas. There is also a need for nurses in low-income and rural areas.
They project that the employment opportunities for healthcare professionals, such as physicians and nurses, will grow faster than many other occupations through 2014. With the growing population, consumers demand high levels of healthcare, because of the latest therapies, technologies and diagnostic tests available today. In addition, many prison or correctional nurses are reaching retirement age through 2014; so many new job openings will result from this.
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Career TrackPrison nurses have many great opportunities for career changes and advancement. Some accept supervisory positions, enter into private practice, teach at universities and colleges or accept research based careers.
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CompensationSalaries for prison or correctional nurses range for Grade D through Grade G. According the National Health Service, a prison nurse salary starts at £17,060 to £18,830 while a Grade G or senior level salary ranges from £23,860 - £29,035 annually.
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