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inside correctional health

Self-Assessment for Talk with Custody and the Assess the Environment
Identifying Potential Health Care Team  Ask the health services
Challenges in Your Facility  Ask custody staff if they administrator to show you
recall being trained on the where the training files are
Review Policy and Procedures different topics. Key topics kept and how to assess if
 Does your facility have for this discussion are: they are organized and easy
policies and procedures in  How do they handle to locate.
place that identify all of the dental emergencies?  Ask to see the list of correc­
topics/content required for  How do they identify an tional officers who have not
the training? inmate having an adverse been trained and work with
 Do the policies and proce­ reaction to medications? the health authority to get
dures address all aspects  What are the proto­ them trained.
of the NCCHC standard, cols when an inmate is  Check to see what percent­
including the creation of a undergoing withdrawal age of correctional officers
training outline/curricu­ protocols? have been trained and
lum, course content, and whether at least 75% of the
length of training? And is it  What procedures do they staff present on each shift is
kept on file? follow for suicide preven­ trained.
 Do the policies and proce­ tion, such as identifica­
tion of an inmate with
dures establish a process to suicide ideation? Key Takeaways
keep all training files orga­  Any issues that come up
nized and accessible regard­  Ask custody staff if the during your discussions
less of vendor contract training provided ade­ might include opportuni­
changes? quately prepares them ties to improve policy,
 Is there an established for how to handle health­ procedures, or training
related issues.
training program that enhancements.
T
is approved by the  alk with custody staff  CQI (continuous quality
health authority in coop­ about different health sce­ improvement) process stud­
eration with the facility narios and how they would ies are a great way to under­
administration? respond. For example, stand specific root causes
 Does the policy stipulate the how would they identify and can help to focus the
an inmate with low blood
training occurs every two sugar? What would they do improvement efforts where
years? to treat the patient or get the needed.
 Is the training conducted inmate help?
during orientation, then  Ask the team if they felt the Share what you learned with
every two years thereafter? health­related training was your custody staff and the
What process does the facil­ helpful, and ask about ways health care team.
ity staff follow to ensure to improve the training for
ongoing training?
future sessions.

54 | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021 AMERICANJails