Nurses’ Perceptions of Professional Practice in Prison Services: A Qualitative Study

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Abstract
Background: The professional practice of nurses in prisons has specific characteristics that, from an improvement perspective, are important to understand. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the perceptions of general care nurses and nurse managers or those in management positions regarding their professional practice in Portuguese prison services. Methods: This is a descriptive, qualitative study conducted in 11 prison establishments in Portugal, involving general care nurses and nurse managers or those in management positions. Semistructured interviews were used. The findings underwent thematic analysis, using ATLAS.ti software. Results: The analysis of the discourses revealed three thematic areas: professional singularities within prison services, factors influencing professional practice, and negative repercussions along with proposals for improvement. The singularities of the participants’ practices focused on professional, ethical, and legal responsibility. However, general care nurses focused on the planning and implementation of interventions, while managers focused on the quality and safety management and the management of human and material resources. Knowledge and advanced training are facilitators of professional practice in prisons; general care nurses add experience and reflection on care, and managers add autonomy and management strategies. The characteristics of the prison environment, the profile of the incarcerated individuals, and the lack of human and material resources are hindering factors, to which, from the perspective of general care nurses, the absence of opportunities for decision‐making participation is added, and from the managers’ perspective, the absence of strategic nursing planning. Consensual improvement proposals were the adequacy of human and material resources, the definition of strategic planning, and the recognition of nurses working in prison services. Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of leadership, strategic planning, specialized training, safe staffing, adequate material resources, and improved communication. As improvement proposals emerged, the implementation of management policies and the valorization of nurses working in prison services were included.

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