About Diane Szulecki, editor

Editor, American Journal of Nursing

The Challenge of Caring for a Graying Prison Population

Photo by Ackerman + Gruber An elderly prisoner in hospice care. Photo by Ackerman + Gruber

Inmates 54 or older are the fastest growing age demographic in U.S. prisons. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, the percentage of inmates who are 54 or older jumped from 3% to 8% in two decades (1991–2011). Criminal justice experts say the increase is probably an effect of the longer sentences of 1980s antidrug laws.

A 2014 report by the Vera Institute of Justice asserts that “prisons and jails are generally ill-equipped to meet the needs of elderly patients who may require intensive services” for their medical conditions. Correctional staff often lack training for treating age-related illnesses and prisons typically don’t have the ability to monitor chronic health issues or employ preventative measures. Inmates are often sent off-site for medical treatment beyond what prisons can provide.

Older adults with physical disabilities or cognitive impairments are also more vulnerable to injury, abuse, and psychological decompensation in the prison setting. “ [T]he prison environment is, by design, an extremely poor place to house and care for people as they age or become increasingly ill or disabled,” said a 2013 American Civil Liberties Union report. Even reliance on devices like wheelchairs, walkers, or breathing aids can present logistical hardships for inmates in facilities that were designed […]

2016-11-21T13:01:23-05:00March 15th, 2016|Nursing, nursing perspective|0 Comments
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AJN in March: Caring for Dying Prisoners, RRTs, Sexual Abuse and Survivorship, Anencephaly, More

AJN0316.Cover.2nd.indd

This month’s cover shows an elderly prisoner being handcuffed before transportation to a local hospital. Older inmates like this one represent the fastest growing age demographic in the U.S. prison population.

An important role in the care of prisoners is often filled by other inmates. The ambulance transporting the prisoner on our cover was staffed by inmates, for example, and inmates can be trained to care for sick prisoners, especially the terminally ill. For an in-depth look at the current state of care delivery for dying inmates, read “End-of-Life Care Behind Bars: A Systematic Review.”

Some other articles of note in the March issue:

Original Research: “The Benefits of Rapid Response Teams: Exploring Perceptions of Nurse Leaders, Team Members, and End Users.” It matters how a health care facility’s members regard its rapid response team (RRT). Subjective perceptions that the program has benefits—even in the absence of objective confirmation—tend to be associated with its continued use and long-term sustainability. This qualitative study investigates the perceptions of nurse leaders, RRT members, and RRT users concerning the benefits of RRTs. Its findings suggest several recommendations for practice, policy, and further research.

CE Feature: “Revisiting Child Sexual Abuse and Survivor Issues.” Child sexual abuse is a global issue that all nurses must be aware of as they care for children in various care settings. This article focuses on the prevalence, potential risk […]

2016-11-21T13:01:25-05:00February 26th, 2016|Nursing, nursing perspective|0 Comments
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American Heart Month: Education, Awareness Crucial to Fight Heart Disease

beating heart still © American Heart Association

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed the first ever American Heart Month: “It is essential to the health and well-being of our nation that our citizens be made aware of the medical, social, and economic aspects of the problem of cardiovascular diseases, and the measures being taken to combat them.” Cardiovascular diseases has to be treated every day by doing exercise, there´s plenty of exercises you can do to better your health, one of the best ones I know is boxing but there is Some things you’ll need for boxing before you even start practicing.

The tradition has continued every February since then, and the need to raise awareness about cardiovascular health remains urgent: heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 610,000 Americans die of heart disease each year.

Women may be particularly at risk, both because the warning signs of heart disease can be different for women than for men and because of common misconceptions about heart disease risk, such as the idea that heart disease only affects men or older adults. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills one in three American women—but the American Heart Association (AHA) says 80% of those deaths could […]

2018-02-06T10:21:39-05:00February 11th, 2016|Nursing, Patients|1 Comment
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AJN in February: Latino RNs in the U.S., Nurse Bullying, Hypoglycemia in Older Adults, More

AJN0216.Cover.OnlineOn this month’s cover, nurse Sarah Carruth comforts a young patient at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. This photo is the second-place winner of AJN’s 2015 Faces of Caring: Nurses at Work photo contest, in which readers worldwide submitted candid photos of nurses on the job.

When the child’s parents had to leave the room and he became unsettled, Carruth held him and comforted him with a stuffed toy. She says the photo captures the important type of quiet moment that often gets lost in the bustle: “It can be so busy that you forget about the times when you get to show that you care.”

Having worked as a pediatric nurse for 15 years, Carruth knows that meeting the emotional needs of children is a crucial aspect of caring for them. “It’s not just about giving medicine and assessing vital signs,” she says. “They need the time to be loved.”

Some articles of note in the February issue:

Original Research: “Latino Nurses in the United States: An Overview of Three Decades (1980–2010).” Latinos are underrepresented in the nursing workforce. The authors of this article find that while the overall number of Latinos has grown dramatically in the U.S. over the 30-year study period, the number of Latino nurses has not. As the Latino population in the U.S. continues to increase, nursing education programs and institutions will need to do more […]

2016-11-21T13:01:31-05:00January 29th, 2016|Nursing, nursing research|0 Comments
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We Want You, or Someone You Know! Tell Us About Nurses Making a Difference

Uncle_Sam_(pointing_finger)Nurses in all settings are doing important work and making a difference, and we want to highlight them and the good work they do. AJN’s Profiles column highlights the diverse ways in which nurses contribute their leadership, compassion, and talent to enhance patient care directly in their institutions or through innovations in policy, research, or education that have had far-reaching impact.

Our profiles include:

We’re inviting suggestions for nurses to feature in Profiles. If you know of a nurse who is doing great work, let us know. Or if you have developed an interesting or unique program, tell us about it. […]

2016-11-21T13:01:32-05:00January 25th, 2016|Nursing|0 Comments
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Views expressed on the blog are solely those of the authors or persons quoted. They do not necessarily reflect AJN’s views or those of Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
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