Self-Construct Analysis: Exploring Nurse's Values in Prisoner Care

This essay delves into the complexities of providing healthcare to handcuffed prisoners, a scenario that often creates conflict between a nurse's personal values and professional obligations. The introduction sets the stage by highlighting the challenges nurses encounter in such situations. The essay then explores the conflict between the private and public self of nurses, emphasizing the importance of delivering care without judgment, while adhering to ethical guidelines. The discussion includes the application of the Johari window model to enhance self-awareness, which can lead to improved patient outcomes. Finally, the essay examines the implications of nurses reflecting on their values and beliefs on their practice, emphasizing the need for effective communication, evidence-based practice, and a non-judgmental approach to ensure quality care for all patients. The references include literature supporting the discussion of the topic.

Running head: SELF CONSTRUCT ANALYSIS
SELF CONSTRUCT ANALYSIS
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author’s name

1SELF CONSTRUCT ANALYSIS
Introduction:
Healthcare providers especially nurses may find it challenging to deal with handcuffed
patients and deliver quality care due to competency priorities. There may rise a conflict between
the inner and the outer self of nurses while taking care of these patients that has to align with
their values and beliefs. Therefore, the chosen topic for this paper is “Caring for handcuffed
prisoners in hospital” that will give a perfect illustration of a situation where nurses encounter
conflict between their public and private self while taking care for these patients outside their
detained settings.
Conflict between private and public self:
Health care provider, especially nurses finds to difficult and challenging while taking
care of the detained patients (Smith, 2016). When it comes to saving life, giving treatment and
care, the prisoners must not encounter judgements based on their social position and dignity,
instead, they should be given proper care and treatment they are required to be given. However,
the nurse’s value teaches them to deliver care to the patients irrespective of the patient’s culture,
ethnicity, age, socio economic status, mental state and other background
(nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au, 2019). The nurses should engage themselves in effective
communication with the patient within their therapeutic boundary to ensure an improved health
outcome (Rasheed, 2015). The nurses should also understand that the imprisoned patients also
have the right to health care like everyone else (Coyle, 2014). Self-awareness enables nurses to
create environment that will promote interpersonal relationships with the patients which supports
in the recovery process by providing them therapeutic environment (Rasheed, 2015). Nurses can
improve their self-awareness using Johari window to enhance self-management and improve

2SELF CONSTRUCT ANALYSIS
performance (Evans, 2013). According to the Johari window, among the four quadrants, the
more wide the ‘open area’ is, the more self-aware the person will be (Rasheed, 2015). Nurses can
implement the strategies as proposed by the Johari window to increase their self-awareness that
will ultimately lead to an improved health outcome of the patients (Rasheed, 2015).
Implications for nursing practice of nurses reflecting on their values and
beliefs:
Nurses often come across situations that demands decision making while practicing in
clinical settings. Nurses, often find stressful and overloaded while working in such clinical
setting that impacts their performance. Nurses find it difficult to do interaction and build up a
therapeutic relationship while delivering care to the imprisoned patients (Crampton, 2014).
Effective communication is crucial in order to achieve an improved health outcome of the
patients (nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au, 2019). Nurses often find embarrassing to accompany
these patients while delivering care that act as a barrier in receiving care for the detained patients
(Crampton, 2014). It is important to understand the patient’s needs to deliver quality care that
can be achieved by communicating effectively with the patients and by applying Evidence Based
Practice (Majid et al. 2011). Nurses should take actions reflecting on their value and belief that
aligns with the nursing Code of Ethics (nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au, 2019). The nursing staff
should adopt an open minded and non-judgemental attitude and professional behaviour while
treating the imprisoned patients with care (Mohsen Shahriari, 2019).

3SELF CONSTRUCT ANALYSIS
References:
Coyle, A., 2014. 2. Standards in prison health: the prisoner as a patient. Prisons and Health, p.6.
Crampton, R., 2014. Caring for prisoners-patients: A quandary for registered nurses. Journal of
PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 29(2), pp.107-118.
Evans, D.T., 2013. Promoting sexual health and wellbeing: the role of the nurse. Nursing
Standard, 28(10).
Majid, S., Foo, S., Luyt, B., Zhang, X., Theng, Y.L., Chang, Y.K. and Mokhtar, I.A., 2011.
Adopting evidence-based practice in clinical decision making: nurses' perceptions, knowledge,
and barriers. Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA, 99(3), p.229.
Mohsen Shahriari, M.,2019. Nursing ethical values and definitions: A literature review. [online]
PubMed Central (PMC). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3748548/
[Accessed 29 Jul. 2019].
nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au., 2019. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Professional
standards. [online] Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au. Available at:
https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professional-
standards.aspx [Accessed 29 Jul. 2019].
Rasheed, S.P., 2015. Self-Awareness as a Therapeutic Tool for Nurse/Client Relationship.
International journal of caring sciences, 8(1).
Smith, F.D., 2016. Perioperative care of prisoners: providing safe care. AORN journal, 103(3),
pp.282-288.