Allicia Boyd; 3rd year Mental Health Nurse at University of Northampton

Prison nursing is unique, and I am so glad I took the chance to experience this as a student, it opened my eyes up to a whole new world and I found a job that I love. I think it’s like Vegemite and I am Australian after all, and you will either love it or hate it. It was the most rewarding, supportive, and eye-opening placement that I have had to date. If someone had told me at the start of my student nurse journey that I would find my ideal job working in the prison environment, I would never have believed them.

Our cohort started its degree in October 2019, the bright and sunny days pre-Covid. On the Friday before our second placement of first year were meant to start, everything was put on pause, whilst we waited with bated breath to see what Covid would mean for us. What followed for our cohort was twelve months of solid online theory work, this allowed for much contemplation about, had I made the right decision to completely change careers and return to education at the ripe old age of 30, and where did I see myself on qualifying. During one of our STAR training sessions, we were spoken to by a member of the Community Forensic Team, and they made a brief mention of nursing within prisons.

The idea of seeing what a prison really looked like was enticing, and I put in a placement request immediately. Whilst excited, part of me was scared I had assumed working in a prison meant I would face threats, violence, and intimidation daily. Yet what I experienced during my placement at a local prison couldn't have been further from the truth, every day I felt respected, supported, valued and most importantly I felt a part of the team. It has been a humbling experience and I take great pride in delivering quality healthcare to vulnerable people who are often at the lowest point in their lives.

Patients in the criminal justice setting present with a broad spectrum of health needs, this can be challenging. No two days are the same, nor are the people that you care for, which is one of the many attractive aspects to working within the prison. You can have your day planned out, but you may need to attend Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork reviews, team meetings, assess an acutely unwell prisoner, attend Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings with the prison to assist with planning their care on the wings.

You may encounter an individual who has taken an unknown substance that has resulted in a drug induced psychosis or someone who has a Urinary Tract Infection that has triggered an organic psychosis. Having a placement in the prison has broadened my nursing skills and has made me think about other ways in which, as a team, we can support the individual with maintaining their mental health and preventing them from reaching crisis point.

Before coming into prison, many of the individuals we encounter have had dysfunctional lives, traumatic childhoods and often suffered abuse themselves. Chaotic lives and poor lifestyle choices can cause their mental health to quickly spiral out of control. The prison environment gives individuals structure that can allows them to help themselves, along with our support and guidance. As nurses we have a massive responsibility to act as good role models, by building trusting and therapeutic relationships we can help them make positive lifestyle choices that will benefit them once they return to the community, hopefully never to reoffend again.

Despite the nature of the crimes that our prisoners have been found guilty of, it is important to remember that they are people at the end of the day, as professionals we have a duty of care to treat them in a non-judgemental manner, with dignity and respect. The prison environment gives individuals time to focus on bettering themselves where they can ask for help and support to manage their mental health.

Prison nursing can be challenging at times, it is not for the faint hearted. We are privy to private and traumatic information each day; it can be emotive and can bring up painful experiences and memories for staff. It is important to be emotionally intelligent, resilient and to leave work at the gates.

Many people have tried to dissuade me from going into prison nursing, and it is normally people who have never experienced it for themselves. I am returning to the same prison for my final placement of my degree, with my fingers and toes crossed to join the team once I am qualified. If you have the chance to experience a nursing placement in a prison, take it, don’t be afraid!

Allicia Boyd is a 3rd year Mental Health Nursing Student at the University of Northampton. As part of her training, she has completed placements in a Recovery College, Low Secure male Autism Spectrum Disorder ward, Police Custody Healthcare, Low Secure Forensic ward and Mental Health in Reach Team in Prison. She came to London from Australia in search of adventure, eventually moving away from a career in Hospitality to Nursing. She has a keen interest in the restorative aspects of Nature and how this can support her and others in her professional role.