The Correctional Nursing Workforce Crisis: An Innovative Solution to Meet the Challenge

Abstract

The aim of this article is to (1) review factors contributing to the nursing workforce crisis that also affect the specialty of correctional nursing and (2) describe an innovative programmatic approach to this crisis that includes translational strategies specific to recruitment and retention. A gap analysis led to a 4-phase framework identifying the career pathway for correctional nurses with a focus on recruitment and retention. The design of a correctional nurse recruitment and retention transition-to-practice program is the focus of the article and targets the preemployment phase of the framework. A correctional nurse expert panel reviewed and contributed to the structure and content of the program. Unique to this program is the content focus on professional identity in correctional nursing, which differs from professionalism.