CCHP-RN flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Estelle v. Gamble

The 1976 U.S. Supreme Court decision holding that deliberate indifference to the serious medical needs of prisoners violates the Eighth Amendment prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

Deliberate indifference standard

The legal test requiring proof that the clinician actually knew of a serious medical need and disregarded it; negligence or a mere difference of clinical opinion does not satisfy the standard.

NCCHC accreditation standards

The National Commission on Correctional Health Care publishes standards for jails, prisons, and juvenile facilities covering care delivery, health records, medications, and quality improvement, verified through on-site surveys.

Receiving screening timing

Health screening is completed when a person arrives at the facility and before assignment to the general population; NCCHC expects the receiving screening to occur within about two hours of arrival.

Health assessment timeframe

A comprehensive health assessment including history, physical examination, and indicated diagnostic testing such as tuberculosis screening is completed within 14 days of admission to a jail.

Sick call triage

A nurse reviews all written sick call requests and triages them, generally within 24 hours, separating emergencies for immediate evaluation from routine complaints scheduled for clinician visits.

Nursing scope in corrections

Nurses practice under their state nurse practice act; correctional officers cannot direct clinical decisions, and nurses cannot delegate nursing assessment or judgment to custody staff.

Emergency response in custody

Facilities must provide 24-hour emergency care; officers summon health staff, who perform triage, begin basic life support, and arrange transfer according to written protocol.

Restraint injury assessment

After any use of force or restraint application, health staff assess for injury, document objective findings on a body diagram, and confirm that circulation and breathing are not compromised.

Segregation health rounds

Inmates in segregation or restrictive housing receive at least daily nursing rounds and periodic clinician evaluation, with documentation of mental status, hygiene, and any clinical deterioration.

Correctional health record ownership

The health record is the property of the facility and is kept separate from the custody file; inmate access is governed by facility policy and state law.

Late entry documentation

When charting after the fact, label the entry as a late entry and record both the date and time the care was actually provided and the date and time the entry was written.

Correcting a paper chart error

Draw a single line through the incorrect information, write the correction, and add initials, credentials, date, and time; never erase, obliterate, or apply correction fluid.

Need-to-know confidentiality

Health information is disclosed to custody staff only on a need-to-know basis, limited to what is required for safety, housing, or transport decisions, and the disclosure is documented.

Directly observed therapy

The nurse watches the patient swallow each dose and checks the mouth when indicated, then documents administration; used for tuberculosis, HIV, and other high-risk medications.

Keep-on-person medication criteria

Keep-on-person status requires a stable regimen, no history of hoarding or diversion, safe housing, and clinician approval, with periodic quantity reconciliation and security cell searches.

Medication administration documentation

Record the drug, dose, route, time given, and initials on the medication administration record at the time of administration; refusals require documentation and notification of the prescriber.

Controlled substance count

Schedule II and other controlled drugs are counted at each shift change and key transfer, with discrepancies reported immediately and recorded on a perpetual inventory record.

Pill line security

Medication administration occurs from a secure area with one inmate at a time, no unobserved carry-away doses, and immediate reporting of hoarding, trading, or extortion attempts.

Tuberculosis intake screening

Intake screening includes symptom review and risk questions; a positive screen triggers masking, isolation, chest radiography, and sputum testing before the person is housed with others.

PPD induration cutoffs

A tuberculin skin test is positive at 5 mm induration for HIV-infected or immunosuppressed persons, 10 mm for other high-risk groups, and 15 mm for individuals with no risk factors.

Chronic care clinic purpose

Enrollees with conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, HIV, or seizure disorders are seen at defined intervals with monitoring of symptoms, laboratory values, and adherence documented in the record.

Opioid withdrawal scoring

The Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale quantifies withdrawal signs and symptoms; severe scores prompt symptomatic treatment, hydration, and referral for opioid agonist therapy per protocol.

Public health reporting duty

Reportable conditions such as tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections are reported to the local health department as required by state law, with confidentiality preserved.

Suicide risk screening

Every person is screened for suicide risk at intake and after triggering events; a positive screen requires immediate mental health referral, removal of means, and placement on observation.

Suicide watch observation levels

Constant observation means uninterrupted line-of-sight monitoring; close observation is typically checked about every 15 minutes, ordered by a qualified mental health professional and documented at each check.

Pregnant inmate care standards

Prenatal care includes early ultrasound, nutrition and folic acid supplementation, infection screening, postpartum depression screening, and avoidance of restraints during labor and delivery where prohibited.

Transgender inmate hormone therapy

Hormone therapy begun in the community generally continues after incarceration, and housing and search decisions are individualized and based on safety rather than physical appearance.

Dual loyalty conflict

The tension between the patient's clinical interests and the institution's security interests; the nurse advocates for appropriate care while documenting and communicating risks honestly to both sides.

Mandatory reporting of abuse

Nurses must report suspected abuse, neglect, or sexual assault of an inmate to designated authorities, preserving evidence and documenting injuries objectively rather than conducting a personal investigation.

Informed consent in custody

Treatment requires voluntary consent, so capacity is assessed, coercion avoided, and refusals documented and respected except in emergencies or when legal authority permits involuntary care.

PREA medical response

The Prison Rape Elimination Act requires that victims of sexual assault in custody be offered a medical examination, emergency contraception when indicated, and sexually transmitted infection prophylaxis.