Page 123 - Human Rights

Faculty of Nursing
Adult care Nursing Department

Another key nursing role is therapeutic communication and emotional support.

Many offenders with mental disorders experience isolation, stigma, and fear.

Nurses provide a therapeutic presence by listening, offering reassurance, and building trust.

This supportive relationship can significantly improve mental well-being and encourage adherence
to treatment.

Nurses also play an important role in health education and rehabilitation.

They educate prisoners about mental illness, medication adherence, coping strategies, stress
management, and substance misuse.

By empowering prisoners with knowledge and self-care skills, nurses contribute to long-term

recovery and reduce the risk of reoffending.

Collaboration is another essential responsibility.

Nurses work closely with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, correctional officers, and

external healthcare services to ensure continuity of care.

They also support transition planning and referrals for offenders being released, helping to

connect them with community mental health services to prevent relapse and re-incarceration.

Finally, nurses require institutional support and professional protection. Working with mentally

disordered offenders can be emotionally demanding and ethically challenging.

Access to supervision, independent advice, and mental health support for nurses themselves is

essential to prevent burnout and moral distress.

In conclusion, nursing care for offenders with mental disorders is multifaceted and ethically

complex. Nurses serve as caregivers, advocates, protectors of human rights, and agents of

rehabilitation.

112 Academic Year 2025/2026