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Self-Assessment for Talk with Custody and the  Ongoing screenings are
Identifying Potential Health Care Team conducted to ensure
Challenges in Your Facility  Ask custody staff if they injuries and exposures
know the following: while on the job are
Review Policy and Procedures  How do they know an monitored. Ask the health
 Do facility policies and inmate has been cleared services administrator
procedures address all to participate in the HOW this monitoring
occurs and WHEN. Pull
aspects of the NCCHC inmate worker program? the record of an inmate
standard, including the How are they notified? worker and review.
creation of an institutional  How would they know
committee to oversee if there were any job  Ask the health services
the medical surveillance restrictions? administrator to show
program?  If an inmate is injured on you where the inmate
surveillance data is kept,
 Are there specific policies the job, does custody staff how it is collected and
related to a medical know how to report the managed. Ask to see the
injury and get the inmate
surveillance program?
care? data.
 Is the medical surveillance  Ask the health care staff if  Ask the health services
program approved by the they know the following: administrator to show you
responsible physician?
 Where to find the medical the quality meeting minutes
 Do the procedures ensure surveillance policy where inmate injury and
that inmates are medically  What the medical illness was discussed.
screened prior to starting screening process looks
work? like before an inmate Key Takeaways
 Does the screening starts work  Any issues that come up
process look for health  How they would assess during your discussions
contraindications based on and report a work-related might include opportunities
inmate health, job role, and injury—who they tell and to enhance policy,
function? when procedures, or training
 Is there a process to curriculum.
continually monitor inmate Assess the Environment  CQI process studies are a
workers for occupational  Ask the health care staff great way to understand
exposures while on the to show you the medical specific root causes and will
job? Ask the health services surveillance program help focus improvement
administrator how this including the policies and efforts where needed.
monitoring occurs. procedures and verify the
following:
 Have the policies identified Share what you learned with
occupational hazards for the  A medical surveillance your custody staff and the
jobs inmates are frequently program exists. health care team.
assigned to?  A facility committee
has been implemented
 Does the CQI program and to oversee the medical
policy have the medical surveillance program.
surveillance program listed  Inmates are medically
as a regular agenda item to screened prior to starting
report on inmate illness and work.
injury?

AMERICANJails NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2021 | 67