Community Mental Health Nursing (RCMN)
VISIT TO THE PRISON
This is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to a prison establishment to liaise with prison health personnel and educate the inmates and other staff to be able to identify individuals showing signs of mental illness.
Purpose
- Educate on the WHO's Quality Rights of persons living with mental illness
- Help facilitate referral for clients who may need further assessment and treatment
- Assess and manage known clients
- Identify, manage or refer new clients
- Offer crisis support and safety planning
Indications
- Visits to a prison establishment to liaise with prison health personnel.
- Educating inmates and staff to identify individuals showing signs of mental illness.
- Offering crisis support, safety planning and facilitating referral for further assessment and treatment.
Equipment
- A Well-Equipped home visit bag
- Community Map and or GhanaPost Global Positions System (GPS)
- Manual/electronic area register/ records of the client
- Means of Transportation
Preparation
- Read the community map or GPS and identify the location of the prison.
- Carry a well-equipped home visit bag and arrange transportation.
Procedure steps
- Read map of the community or use GhanaPost Global Positions System (GPS) address to identify the location of the prison
- Enter the prison and greet accordingly
- Identify officer in-charge of the prison
- Establish rapport and introduce self to officer in-charge
- Explain purpose of your visit to the officer in-charge and prison health personnel
- Enquire from the prison health personnel the presence of inmates with mental illness
- Enquire about specific offence(s) that brought inmates into the prison custody
- Find out other treatment alternatives available for inmates whiles in the prison
- Ask about the nutritional status of inmates and educate on the need for proper feeding whiles on treatment
- Enquire about recreational activities available for inmates
- Collaborate with prison health personnel and thoroughly assess inmates and identify their physiological health needs
- Draw a care plan for their health needs
- Assist in providing any other care if required
- Encourage the prison health personnel to always refer inmates whose conditions need further treatment or regular medical review to mental health units or health facility
- Inform officer in-charge, health personnel and inmates about your next visit
- Leave your contact with officer in- charge, health personnel and encourage them to call when necessary
- Document the care and findings in report book
- Express appreciation and depart
Precautions
- Follow prison entry and safety protocols and identify the officer in-charge of the prison.
- Establish rapport and explain the purpose of the visit to the officer in-charge and prison health personnel.
- Maintain confidentiality while collaborating with prison health personnel.
- Encourage referral of inmates whose conditions need further treatment or regular medical review.
Aftercare
- Inform the officer in-charge, health personnel and inmates about the next visit.
- Leave contact details with the officer in-charge and health personnel for emergencies.
Nursing considerations
- Ascertain the presence of inmates with mental illness and the offences that brought them into custody.
- Collaborate with prison health personnel to assess inmates and identify their physiological health needs.
- Draw a care plan for the health needs identified and offer crisis support and safety planning.
Patient education
- Educate on the WHO Quality Rights of persons living with mental illness.
- Educate inmates and staff on the signs of mental illness and the importance of proper feeding while on treatment.
- Encourage the prison health personnel to refer inmates whose conditions need further treatment or regular medical review.
Documentation
- Document the care and findings in the report book.
References and further reading
Educational resource only. Follow current Nursing and Midwifery Council guidance, local institutional protocols, scope of practice, and clinical supervision.
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