Name
Western Governors University
E225 Emerging Professional Practice
Prof. Name
Date
I am presently employed as a registered nurse in a county correctional facility, where I provide both medical and mental health services to an incarcerated population. My primary assignment is within the booking unit, which serves as the entry point for all newly admitted inmates. In this role, I perform comprehensive intake health screenings, identify urgent medical or psychiatric concerns, and initiate individualized healthcare plans. These assessments play a critical role in ensuring continuity of care and mitigating immediate health risks upon incarceration.
The facility also maintains a medical education department focused on staff orientation, competency validation, and ongoing professional development. My immediate career objective is to become a member of this education team. In doing so, I aim to contribute to the development of standardized, evidence-based training resources that promote consistency, safety, and regulatory compliance among healthcare staff.
From a mid-term perspective, I aspire to advance into a leadership position as the assistant director of nursing (ADON). This role would provide the opportunity to supervise nursing personnel, evaluate clinical performance, and identify systemic gaps in healthcare delivery. Ultimately, my long-term professional goal is to serve as a health services administrator. In this executive capacity, I would oversee all healthcare operations within the facility, ensuring ethical, high-quality, and equitable care for a historically underserved and vulnerable population.
The following table summarizes my current professional credentials and their associated maintenance requirements.
| Certification or License | Maintenance Requirements |
|---|---|
| Multi-State Registered Nurse License | Completion of state-mandated continuing education every two years in accordance with Florida regulations |
| Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification | Renewal every two years through an American Heart Association–approved course with skills demonstration |
I currently maintain an active multi-state registered nurse license, which allows for practice across participating compact states and requires ongoing continuing education to ensure clinical competency and legal compliance. Additionally, I hold Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, which must be renewed biennially through formal skills validation. Maintaining these credentials is essential for ensuring patient safety, regulatory adherence, and professional accountability within the correctional healthcare environment.
Within my current organization, several leadership roles are occupied by individuals who do not hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). For example, the health services administrator position is currently filled by a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Although a BSN is not a formal prerequisite for advancement within this facility, I strongly believe that baccalaureate education equips nurses with critical competencies in leadership, research utilization, quality improvement, and systems-based practice.
I am actively completing my BSN program at Western Governors University (WGU) and have only a limited number of courses remaining. The primary remaining requirement is the completion of supervised field experience hours. These hours will be fulfilled at my current workplace under the guidance of my preceptor, who serves as the assistant director of nursing and previously worked within the education department. This arrangement provides a valuable opportunity to integrate academic theory with practical leadership experience in a familiar clinical setting.
Developing into an effective nurse educator and healthcare leader requires exposure to multiple clinical environments. To date, my professional experience has been concentrated primarily in the booking area, where I have worked for more than five years. However, my experience within the facility’s infirmaries is limited, and I have not yet worked in the acute care clinic.
Although cross-departmental experience is not a formal requirement for advancement at my facility, I recognize its importance in developing a comprehensive understanding of correctional healthcare operations. Exposure to different units would enhance my clinical judgment, improve interdepartmental collaboration, and strengthen my credibility as an educator and leader. To achieve this, I plan to actively request cross-training opportunities and volunteer for shifts in additional departments.
At present, orientation for newly hired healthcare staff consists primarily of shadowing randomly assigned employees over the course of approximately three shifts. There is no designated preceptor, standardized curriculum, or formal evaluation process. As a result, training quality varies significantly depending on the staff members assigned, often leading to inconsistent knowledge transfer and incomplete policy education.
If given the opportunity to join the education department, I would advocate for the implementation of a structured onboarding program. This program would include clearly defined learning objectives, standardized training manuals, competency checklists, and policy-based education modules. Additionally, I would recommend establishing formal trainer or preceptor roles within each department to ensure consistent, accurate, and policy-aligned instruction for all new staff members.
Completion of the Advanced Molecular and Nursing Health (AMNH) certification significantly enhanced my understanding of pharmacogenomics and the role genetics play in medication metabolism and drug interactions. This knowledge has reinforced the importance of obtaining comprehensive personal and family medical histories during inmate intake assessments. In a population with high rates of substance use disorders, understanding genetic vulnerabilities allows for safer prescribing practices and reduces the risk of adverse drug events.
The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) certification further shaped my practice by emphasizing holistic, patient-centered care that addresses emotional, spiritual, cultural, and psychological dimensions alongside physical health. This approach is particularly relevant in correctional settings, where individuals come from diverse backgrounds and may rely heavily on spiritual or cultural practices for coping. Respecting patient preferences, such as choosing meditation or prayer as a complementary approach to managing chronic conditions, supports autonomy and strengthens therapeutic relationships.
Additionally, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) course, Introduction to Healthcare Improvement, introduced the Six Aims for Improvement framework: care that is safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient-centered (Provost et al., 2020). Applying this framework in correctional healthcare requires intentional efforts to uphold inmate rights, promote informed consent, and ensure ethical standards despite institutional constraints.
I plan to collaborate with the education department to develop training materials that emphasize pharmacogenomics, medication safety, and the importance of family history in clinical decision-making. Incorporating these principles into routine intake assessments and institutional policies would improve individualized care and reduce preventable medication-related complications.
Furthermore, I intend to promote holistic nursing principles by encouraging improved communication, empathy, and cultural competence among healthcare staff. By fostering a patient-centered care culture, the facility can enhance teamwork, reduce conflict, and improve health outcomes within a challenging correctional environment.
As I progress into leadership roles, I aim to leverage this knowledge to influence policy development, advocate for evidence-based practices, and elevate the overall standard of care provided to the inmate population.
The IHI coursework highlighted pervasive challenges within healthcare systems, including staffing shortages, limited resources, inconsistent training practices, and barriers to patient engagement. These issues are especially pronounced in correctional healthcare, where security priorities and institutional constraints often complicate care delivery.
Understanding these challenges has encouraged me to think critically about sustainable solutions tailored to my facility, such as standardized education programs, improved patient education strategies, and data-driven quality improvement initiatives. Proactively addressing these systemic issues is essential for advancing equitable, ethical, and effective healthcare for incarcerated individuals.
Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (2020). Introduction to health care improvement. https://www.ihi.org/education
Provost, L. P., Lloyd, R., & Murray, S. K. (2020). The health care data guide: Learning from data for improvement (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
World Health Organization. (2021). Health in prisons: A WHO guide to the essentials in prison health. https://www.who.in
