Prn RN
About The Position
The PRN RN provides nursing care to incarcerated individuals in a correctional facility. The role includes conducting and documenting nursing assessments; evaluating newly admitted individuals and patients with medical complaints; identifying urgent needs and changes in condition; developing and evaluating care plans; administering medications and treatments; responding to emergencies; and coordinating referrals, transfers, and follow-up care. The RN also supports preventive healthcare, chronic disease management, behavioral health monitoring, patient education, and continuity of care. The position requires coordination with healthcare professionals and correctional staff while following facility security procedures, maintaining professional boundaries, protecting confidential information, and complying with nursing regulations and organizational policies. The RN maintains accurate clinical records, participates in quality and safety activities, and may provide clinical guidance or assist with staff training as assigned. The work takes place in a patient care environment with little exposure to excessive noise, dust, or temperature changes. Work involves substantial standing and walking, possible exposure to communicable diseases and potentially infectious or hazardous materials, and certain distasteful patient care activities. The role has medium physical demands, including lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling specified weights, as well as frequent reaching, handling, fingering, feeling, talking, hearing, near vision, and color vision.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science degree required.
- Current Pennsylvania RN license.
- Current BLS, PALS, and ACLS certifications.
- Critical-thinking skills and decisive judgment.
- Ability to work in a dynamic, rapidly changing environment and take appropriate action.
Nice To Haves
- Previous nursing experience in a correctional facility, emergency department, hospital, urgent care, behavioral health, or other acute or ambulatory healthcare setting.
- Experience with medication management, chronic disease care, triage, emergency response, and care coordination.
- Familiarity with correctional healthcare operations, infection prevention, and patient safety procedures in secure environments.
- Experience providing clinical guidance to LPNs, medical assistants, or other support personnel.
Responsibilities
- Conduct and document nursing assessments, screenings, and evaluations for newly admitted individuals and patients with medical complaints.
- Identify urgent medical needs, chronic conditions, medication requirements, and changes in patient status; initiate nursing interventions within scope of practice and notify appropriate healthcare personnel.
- Develop, implement, and evaluate nursing care plans and provide care for acute and chronic conditions.
- Perform and supervise nursing treatments, wound care, specimen collection, and other clinical procedures within the RN's scope of practice.
- Support immunizations, health screenings, patient education, and chronic disease monitoring.
- Coordinate referrals, diagnostic testing, specialty consultations, outside appointments, follow-up care, discharge planning, and transfers.
- Administer prescribed medications and treatments; oversee medication administration processes as assigned and monitor for therapeutic response, side effects, and complications.
- Verify medication orders, patient identity, allergies, and required safety information; identify and report discrepancies, errors, adverse reactions, and suspected diversion.
- Coordinate medication refills and pharmacy services and maintain medication security, storage, handling, and accountability, including for controlled substances.
- Recognize and respond to medical emergencies, initiate appropriate interventions, activate emergency procedures, coordinate with emergency responders and receiving facilities, and document care and outcomes.
- Maintain current CPR/BLS certification and other emergency certifications required by the employer; participate in emergency drills and know emergency equipment and protocols.
- Recognize behavioral health risks and other conditions requiring immediate evaluation; follow facility protocols, notify appropriate personnel, and monitor patients as assigned.
- Collaborate with behavioral health professionals and medical providers and report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or patient safety concerns.
- Follow correctional facility security policies, coordinate with correctional officers, report security concerns, and maintain professional boundaries while advocating for medically necessary care.
- Maintain complete, accurate, timely, and objective medical records; complete incident reports and protect confidential patient information.
- Comply with nursing regulations, professional standards, correctional healthcare requirements, and organizational policies; participate in quality assurance, audits, infection prevention, and performance improvement activities.
- Collaborate with internal and external healthcare personnel and communicate care needs, clinical changes, and follow-up requirements during handoffs and transitions.
- Provide clinical guidance to nursing and support personnel when assigned; assist with orientation and training as delegated; participate in meetings, case reviews, and multidisciplinary care planning.
- Escalate staffing, supply, workflow, and patient safety concerns to the appropriate supervisor and perform other related duties as assigned.
