Prison nursing: legal framework and care reality.

INTRODUCTION: Penitentiary Nursing has experienced during the last decades a deep transformation similar to that experienced by the rest of the Nursing. However, there is a great distance from the protective legislation. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the main legal documents which regulate the functions of Penitentiary Nursing and to compare it with the health care reality of nurses in Spanish prisons. METHODOLOGY: Narrative bibliographic review based on various sources such as Medline, Cuiden, Scielo, Dialnet, etc. RESULTS: Is selected 43 documents, due to its relevance with the theme object of study. Is rejected 4 articles for lack of the same. Analyzed documents regarding legal framework and functions of nursing in prisons in its different sections (health care, teaching, research and management). CONCLUSION: The functions currently carried out in prisons are the ones provided for by health care legislation outside the prison context, along with the internal administrative regulations established by prisons. The possibility should be reconsidered of integrating Prison Healthcare into the Public Healthcare System so as to guarantee equality of healthcare for persons deprived of liberty and to provide the same rights and obligations to health professionals working in this sector.

Enfermería penitenciaria: marco legal y realidad asistencial / Prison nursing: legal framework and care reality

Introducción: La Enfermería Penitenciaria ha experimentado durante las últimas décadas una profunda trasformación, similar a la experimentada por el resto de la Enfermería, pero hay una distancia importante con la legislación que la ampara. Objetivo: explorar la realidad asistencial de la Enfermería Penitenciaria mediante la recopilación y análisis de los principales documentos legales que regulan la Sanidad Penitenciaria en los centros penitenciarios españoles. Metodología: Revisión bibliográfica en fuentes como Medline, Cuiden, Scielo, Dialnet, etc. Se emplearon las palabras clave: 'enfermería', 'cárcel', 'prisión', 'evolución', 'funciones enfermería prisiones', 'leyes enfermería prisiones' y 'sanidad penitenciaria'. Se revisan artículos entre 1834 y 2015. Además se utilizaron tres libros especializados sobre Sanidad Penitenciaria, se revisó Revista Española de Sanidad Penitenciaria y la página web del Ministerio del Interior de Instituciones Penitenciarias, así como varios documentos legales relacionados con el tema. Resultados: Se seleccionaron 43 documentos, debido a su pertinencia con el tema objeto de estudio. Se rechazaron 4 artículos por carecer de la misma. Se analizaron los documentos en cuanto a marco legal y funciones de enfermería en prisiones en sus diferentes apartados (asistencial, docente, investigador y de gestión). Conclusión: Las funciones que los enfermeros desempeñan actualmente en los CP son las marcadas por la legislación sanitaria extrapenitenciaria, además de las normas administrativas internas establecidas por la Institución Penitenciaria. Debería replantearse la necesaria integración de la Sanidad Penitenciaria en el Sistema Público de Salud de forma que garantice la igualdad de la asistencia sanitaria para las personas privadas de libertad y proporcione los mismos derechos y deberes a los profesionales sanitarios que la ejercen (AU)

Introduction: Prison nursing has undergone a major transformation in recent decades, similar to that experienced in other sectors of nursing. However, a considerable distance has to be covered before the provisions of protective legislation become a reality. Objective: To analyze the main legal documents which regulate the functions of Prison Nursing and to compare it with the reality of health care for nurses in Spanish prisons. Methodology: Narrative bibliographic review based on various sources such as Medline, Cuiden, Scielo, Dialnet, etc. Results: 43 documents were selected for their relevance to the subject matter of the study. 4 were rejected for not having any relevance. The documents were analysed for references to the legal framework and functions of nursing in prisons in different sections (health care, teaching, research and management). Conclusion: The functions currently carried out in prisons are the ones provided for by health care legislation outside the prison context, along with the internal administrative regulations established by prisons. The possibility should be reconsidered of integrating Prison Healthcare into the Public Healthcare System so as to guarantee equality of healthcare for persons deprived of liberty and to provide the same rights and obligations to health professionals working in this sector (AU)