The Role of Nurses in the Prison and Correctional Institution Health System

Abstract

This academic article aims to examine the role of professional nurses as a crucial mechanism within prison and correctional health systems, which are considered highly complex and specialized communities. Nurses function as a vital link between the justice and public health systems, operating under the mission of providing equitable healthcare services in accordance with international standards and human rights principles. The roles of nurses are analyzed through four key dimensions (1) clinical practitioner, (2) health coordinator and navigator, (3) health promotion and disease prevention, and (4) mental health and psychosocial support. However, nursing practice faces severe and deep-seated structural barriers, particularly resource scarcity and a nurse-to-inmate ratio that drastically exceeds standard benchmarks. In reality, a single nurse may bear the burden of caring for hundreds or even thousands of inmates. Additionally, legal constraints restrict nurses from independently dispensing certain medications, thereby causing delays in treatment. Furthermore, nurses confront the challenge of dual loyalty, navigating the tension between strict prison security regulations and professional nursing ethics.

This article proposes integrating multicultural ethics to promote health equity and humanized care. Such integration effectively reduces prison mortality and alleviates hospital burdens, while strengthening social health security under the concept of Prison health is public health. Policy recommendations focus on specialized nursing development, the implementation of telemedicine, and electronic health record (EHR) systems. Nevertheless, these initiatives encounter challenges, including the conflict between data privacy laws (PDPA) and security requirements, as well as internet connectivity issues in highly restricted areas.