Correctional Nursing: Why is Retention an Issue?

摘要

The specialty of correctional nursing has its own set of considerations and concerns that impact retention and affect healthcare outcomes for the offender population. The purpose of this research study was to identify specific areas causing poor nursing staff retention and recruitment within the correctional environment. The literature review revealed correctional nursing can benefit from: improved education and training for correctional nurses, emphasis and focus on public health in the correctional environment, role confusion in correctional nursing, and further investigation and research needed in recruitment and retention. Prison nursing staff at a large, rural correctional facility, completed the revised Casey-Fink Retention Survey through electronic distribution. The study results revealed that a lack of staff appreciation and orientation are factors that negatively affect retention in the correctional setting. With this new information, changes can be implemented to improve correctional nursing orientation, educate managerial staff in positive communication techniques, therefore positively impacting nurse retention within the prison system.