Innocent in Prison: A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Correctional Nurses

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

This phenomenological qualitative research determined the lived experiences of correctional nurses in the province of Cavite, Philippines. Latif (2010) stated that correctional nurses were challenged because of poor communication and less staff between nurses and officers, feelings of frustration and less valued. Further study to review the role and scope of nursing in order to better facilitate the delivery of healthcare within corrections is recommended. Moreover, this study determined the problems that the correctional nurses encounter in their workplace on a daily basis and their coping-strategies in adjusting with their environment.

METHODS

The study involved correctional nurses that are working here in Cavite. Out of the population, five correctional nurses were chosen using purposive sampling. The sample of 5was chosen based on Creswell (2007) which suggests 5-25 participants with the same experience should be chosen and interviewed. The researchers conducted an in-depth semi-structured interview in their workplaces. Each interview is recorded in a recorder and lasted for thirty minutes to one-hour interview. The interviews were transcribed by the researchers and were analyzed.

RESULTS

The results showed that lack of medicine which pertains to the shortage in the supply of medicine in jail facilities, shortage of manpower which concerns the shortage of staffs where jail nurses become utility workers because of the lack of officers., inadequate facilities which relate to the insufficient facilities that jail nurses should have and risk which pertains to the negative effect that jail nurses experiences in the job are the problems that these nurses encounter in their daily basis. For their coping strategies, results showed that time management which pertains to the way how the jail nurses manage to do their task with an allotted time, availability of resources which concerns the usage of present or available resources in the jail facilities and for the importance of inmates, are the coping strategies of Correctional nurses.

DISCUSSIONS

Based on the obtained results, the common themes about the difficulties faced by the correctional nurses on a daily basis are lack of medicines, shortage of manpower, inadequate facilities and risks on their workplace. At the same time, correctional nurses have different strategies in coping up with the challenges namely time management, availability of resources, and importance of inmate's health care.