Future Trends in Travel Correctional Healthcare and Travel Prison Nursing

 

Correctional healthcare is an ever-evolving field impacted by staffing shortages and issues obtaining routine and preventive care. Increased awareness pushes institutions to take better care of their inmates, which will likely increase the demand for travel correctional nurses to fill these staffing gaps.

Taking care of prisoners, a population more likely than the general public to suffer from chronic health conditions (for example, 4.8% of prisoners have diabetes), is challenging but rewarding. Many people who go into prison nursing are unsure whether they will be safe, especially female nurses working in male prisons. Still, these jobs can be well-paid and are in demand, making it easier to find a good position.

Anticipating Changes in Prison Health Services

Predicting change can be difficult in any situation, especially in the often variable environment of corrections. However, there are things we can extrapolate from the current situation.

Current State of Correctional Healthcare

It has become more apparent that correctional healthcare faces unique challenges. More than 20 percent of incarcerated people with a medical condition go without care. An overall staff shortage means prisons and jails do not always have a corrections officer available to escort a prisoner to the infirmary. These issues increase challenges for physicians and nurses working in corrections. When somebody misses an appointment or is not receiving routine care, then their problems inevitably worsen, and when they are seen, it is far harder to help them.

According to the National Institute of Corrections, rates of incarceration are increasing, which creates more demand for skilled professionals such as corrections-licensed practical nurses.

Growing prison reform is helping to create policy advancements. In 2018, the First Step Act was passed, requiring the development of a risk and needs assessment system for departing inmates. This includes physical and mental health needs. In 2011, 44 percent of incarcerated people had a mental health disorder, and things have only become worse, but policies are starting to address this. Providing good care in prison reduces relapse and helps prisoners and former prisoners deal with substance abuse issues.

Emerging Trends in Correctional Healthcare

Some emerging trends are starting to address these challenges. Telehealth can be particularly useful for the incarcerated population. Telehealth allows many health issues to be addressed by a physician or specialist who is not co-located with the prisoner. Electronic health records can also help ensure that prisoners’ medical records enter prison with them and leave with them at the end of their sentence rather than forcing correctional nurses and physicians to start over.

Generally, prisoners are not eligible for Medicaid. But in January 2023, the HHS approved an initiative to allow Medicaid to cover substance abuse treatment for prisoners in California. There is hope that other states will follow suit. Increased awareness of the healthcare challenges in jails and prisons will likely result in stronger pushes for these kinds of reforms.

The Role of Travel Nurses in Adaptation

Travel nurses can play a crucial role in improving corrections healthcare and adapting to the increase in reforms. Travel nurses are well-equipped to promptly implement changes in their work environment as they are used to moving around and working in different hospital systems. They often have varied experiences, making it easy to deal with the different issues in an institution, especially smaller jails.

Each assignment is different, and working in a prison is much like working in a hospital, so you need to be highly adaptable to changes in policies and procedures.

How Travel Nurses Can Stay Ahead of Industry Shifts

Travel nurses often have an advantage in staying ahead of shifts in the industry. As a travel nurse, you don’t sit in one spot for long, literally or metaphorically. However, you also have to put in the work to stay ahead.

Continuing Education and Training

Travel correctional nurses should focus on continuing their education. Not only do you need to be up to date across multiple specialties, but you also need to keep up with corrections, policy changes, and the psychology of inmates. Understanding the mindset of people who end up in correctional facilities can help you stay safe while working and offer them better care. Good corrections nurses often have psych experience to handle inmates’ stress (and the stress they are under themselves).

In addition to the articles and other resources provided by AB staffing, there are a variety of training resources you can find online or in person. Correctional nurses are required to have a nursing degree and a license. The National Commission on Correctional Health Care offers a variety of certificates, including Certified Correctional Nursing that can help you prepare or improve your skills. They also have a variety of webinars and on-demand courses. Talking to your peers through online support groups is also a great way to share information that can help correctional nurses adapt and improve.

Networking and Professional Development

Correctional nurses face unique challenges, and networking with your colleagues allows you to trade stories and tips, share the burden, and talk to somebody who understands. Travel nurses have an advantage here: they can keep in contact with former coworkers and even facilitate networking between institutions. Building a network means that you will also hear quickly about good opportunities.

Online forums are also beneficial for travel nurses, who may need help keeping in touch with networks in any other way. Look for Facebook groups and similar systems for correctional nurses in your area. The American Correctional Nurses Association advocates for you and your patients and provides good networking opportunities.

Preparing for Future Challenges and Opportunities in Correctional Nursing

In the unique landscape of correctional nursing, anticipating and preparing for future challenges and opportunities is important to ensuring the delivery of effective healthcare within correctional facilities.

Cultural Competence and Patient-Centric Care

Prisons often have a diverse population. Nationally, in 2022, Black people were admitted to prison more than four times more often than white people and stayed in jail an average of 12 more days. This racial disparity stems from issues that are beyond your power, but what is within your power is to learn to treat people with competence and care for them during their treatment.

Patient-centric care requires listening to the patient, properly informing them, and helping them learn self-care skills such as checking their blood pressure. Many inmates will struggle to trust you, so you must be a good listener and work through maladaptive communication patterns.

Mental Health and Well-Being of Nurses

Correctional nursing can be difficult at times. The high-stress environment, dealing with people who have, in many (but not all) cases, committed crimes, and the wide variety of work makes for a challenging situation. You may also worry about your safety and the risk of injury.

Watch yourself for signs of burnout and remember that the experience you get from corrections can help you develop your clinical and cultural awareness skills in ways that will help you in other areas. Prison workers of all types can experience corrections fatigue, a specific form of burnout that impacts people working in these tough environments.

Conclusion

Being a travel corrections nurse is a rewarding, but challenging experience. Being adaptable and prepared positions you well for an uncertain future in a dynamic world for corrections nursing.  As travel nurses, you see things that some residents do not and thus are able to lead change in this dynamic field.

Contact AB Staffing for more information and advice on becoming one of our travel correctional nurses and finding a high-paying, rewarding job. Or browse our opportunities, which include:

• Corrections LPN in Yakima, Washington
• Corrections LPN in Franklin, Wisconsin
• Corrections RN in Hookerton, North Carolina
• Corrections RN in Salem, Virginia

And many, many more.