Page 4 - September 2018 CHS Special Edition Newsletter
P. 4
A Look Inside the Intake Health Screening Process
or each of the approximately thoughts
60,000 men and women ■ Current medications
F who are booked into the ■ Allergies
Orange County Jails each year, ■ Legal and illegal drug use
the first person they encounter is a ■ History of alcohol use
Correctional Health Services (CHS) ■ Current or prior withdrawal
healthcare professional. Each arrestee symptoms
receives a comprehensive intake ■ Possible, current, or recent
health screening to determine their pregnancy
health status and medical/mental ■ Other health concerns
health needs during incarceration. Healthcare professionals conducting
CHS Registered Nurses staff the the screening are also documenting
Triage/Intake area of the Intake observation of the individual’s:
Release Center (IRC) 24 hours a ■ Appearance
day/7 days a week. ■ Behavior
“Triage is like the hub of the Orange ■ State of consciousness
County jail system,” said Jerry, ■ Ease of movement
Knoble, Sr. Comprehensive Care ■ Breathing
Nurse. “It’s energizing, stimulating, ■ Skin conditions/color
always busy and requires a multidisci- ■ And other signs that would
plinary team approach.” require further medical/mental
The initial intake screening inquires as health follow-up
to the individual’s: Several decisions are made during
■ Current and past illness, the intake screening process. Is the
health conditions, or special individual medically stable enough to
health requirements stay at the jail? Do they have health
■ Past and recent communicable conditions that require special accom-
Intake Nursing Station staff (front to illness modations? Do they need further
back): Ruben Garcia, Supervising ■ History of mental illness, evaluation by a nurse practitioner or
Comprehensive Care Nurse; Jerry Knoble,
Sr. Comprehensive Care Nurse; and Delia including hospitalizations medical doctor? What type of housing
Bupte, Comprehensive Care Nurse. ■ History of, or current suicidal is the most appropriate to meet their
4 Correctional Health Services Special Edition
