The Correctional Nursing Workforce Crisis: An Innovative Solution to Meet the Challenge

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Workforce Studies
• Correctional Health

Background:

• The nursing workforce faces a significant crisis, impacting specialized fields like correctional nursing.
• Factors contributing to this crisis require targeted solutions for specific healthcare sectors.
• Correctional nursing, in particular, needs strategies to address recruitment and retention challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review factors contributing to the nursing workforce crisis affecting correctional nursing.
• To describe an innovative programmatic approach for correctional nurse recruitment and retention.
• To present a transition-to-practice program focusing on professional identity.

Main Methods:

• A gap analysis was conducted to identify needs within the correctional nursing career pathway.
• A 4-phase framework was developed, focusing on recruitment and retention.
• An expert panel of correctional nurses reviewed and contributed to the program design.

Main Results:

• A framework for the correctional nurse career pathway was established.
• A transition-to-practice program targeting the pre-employment phase was designed.
• The program uniquely emphasizes professional identity in correctional nursing.

Conclusions:

• Addressing the correctional nursing workforce crisis requires innovative, targeted programs.
• Focusing on professional identity is a unique and potentially effective strategy for recruitment and retention.
• The described program offers a model for developing and implementing solutions in specialized nursing fields.