Prison Nurse
Prison nurses do a similar role to nurses working in general practice but with a greater focus on mental health problems and substance misuse.
Working life
As your role would be similar to that of a general practice nurse, you will undertake a number of similar tasks including:
- obtaining blood samples
- minor and complex wound management including leg ulcers
- women’s health including cervical smears
- men’s health screening
- smoking cessation
You’ll also be working with people who have a higher concentration of mental health and substance misuse problems.
You’ll also be working with people who have a higher concentration of mental health and substance misuse problems. This may mean offering support to patients who are at greater risk to themselves or others than those seen in GP surgeries. You may also offer support to doctors performing minor surgery.
Where will I work?
You may work in open prisons, high secure units, women’s prisons or young offenders’ institutes.
You are likely to work within a general practice setting within a prison. You’ll work with a range of other professionals including GPs and other doctors, pharmacists, psychological therapists and prison staff.
Qualifications
To work as a prison nurse, you need to be a qualified, registered nurse, preferably in adult, mental health or learning disabilities. You may be asked for experience, knowledge or an understanding of the criminal justice system or custodial environments in relation to your role as a prison nurse.