Managing Boundaries When Working with Justice Involved Persons: What Correctional Nurses Need to Know

The creation and maintenance of therapeutic boundaries has been described as one of the  most important competencies required by correctional nurses working with justice involved persons.  Correctional nurses are often warned about getting “too close” to their patients, an edict that is rarely coupled with guidance regarding how to become engaged in a meaningful way that safely promotes the achievement of treatment goals for their patients.  However, navigating therapeutic boundaries can be particularly challenging given the patient’s psychopathology and treatment needs, the seductive pull of helping, professional isolation, and the failure of ethical reasoning by professionals.  Strategies to address boundary violations before, during, and after they arise will be presented and contribute to effective risk management, and a safe and supportive working environment for all concerned.

1. Examine the challenges of creating and maintaining therapeutic boundaries with justice-involved persons
2. Discuss relational and contextual factors that contribute to the management of professional relationships with justice-involved persons, with a focus on boundary violations.
3. Explore matter-of-fact approaches to the prevention of boundary violations when working with justice-involved persons, that bridge theory, practice, and research.

Criteria for successful completion:

• Attendance at the entire webinar
• Completion of the evaluation form and a Post Test.

Our presentation has been approved for 1 contact hour of continuing education by the Florida BON. The American Correctional Nurses Association is an approved provider of continuing education for nurses by the Florida Board of Nursing, Provider #50-31772.  To claim this credit, you must attend the entire presentation and complete a 10-question post-test and an evaluation, which will appear on your computer screen as soon as the webinar ends.  

Financial Disclosures:

• No person involved in the planning of this educational activity has declared a conflict of interest or relevant financial relationships with an ineligible company.