title: Nurses' experiences caring for incarcerated patients in a perinatal unit.
abstract: Studies indicate that psychological support of a mother during labor greatly increases the well-being of the mother and the infant. Nurses caring for incarcerated women in birthing centers, provide the only caring support these women have a possibility of receiving. However, there is a dearth of studies that explore nurses' perception of their role in caring for female offenders. The purpose of this article is to present a study that explored nurses' perception of caring for incarcerated women in a perinatal setting. Findings of the study indicated that nurses have difficulty working around the shackles that tied a laboring offender to the bed, and found the guards in the room to be intrusive. Some nurses advocated for the patients; others felt that the women were getting what they deserved. Most nurses struggled with the emotions of the incarcerated mom leaving behind her newborn upon return to prison.
authors.affiliation: Gustavus Adolphus College, School of Nursing, Saint Peter, Minnesota 56082, USA. bzust@gac.edu
authors.forename: Barbara Lois
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Zust
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Busiahn
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Janisch
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016550:Birthing Centers; D002670:Child, Abandoned / Q000523:psychology; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008910:Minnesota; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D018743:Perinatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support