Correctional Nurse Legal Briefs: Important Information to Keep You Out of Court!

Course overview

Audience- An online continuing education course for nurses, medical health professionals, and other interested individuals working in a correctional setting, whether jail, prison, or juvenile detention facility. This information is also helpful for those working in forensic mental health units or hospital locked units. Overview- Possibly more than any other nursing specialty, correctional nursing practice is lawsuit-prone. Our patient population, already in the criminal justice system, frequently seeks legal action when they feel they have not received rightful healthcare. Nurses working in the correctional setting have all the same accountability for delivering and documenting care as those working in traditional settings, along with some unique risks and liabilities that need attention. Correctional nurses must be acutely aware of malpractice and negligence concerns along with specific constitutional and civil rights issues related to the incarcerated patient.