Evaluation of 2022 Nursing Intake Forms from Massachusetts Jails: Content Analysis and Accuracy Assessment

  1. Emily D. Grussing
  2. Bridget Pickard
  3. Emma Smyth
  4. Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein
  5. Alysse G. Wurcel

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Abstract

The medical intake process is usually the first clinical interaction that people have after being incarcerated. In many states, the first vital person conducting this assessment is a nurse. In this project, nursing intake forms from Massachusetts jails were analyzed for the offer of 15 different screening and preventative services (e.g., HIV testing). Then, Health Services Administrators (HSAs) at the jails were asked to review and comment on the assessment. The average agreement rate between the project team members and HSAs was 73%. Twelve of the 14 jails had questions about history of HIV or HCV on the nursing intake form. Only 5 facilities discussed PrEP. There is potential to standardize the nursing intake form and therefore medical intake process. This must be done with key stakeholder groups, in particular nurses, to best understand the logistics of the complex medical intake process.

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  1. PREreview

    This Zenodo record is a permanently preserved version of a Structured PREreview. You can view the complete PREreview at https://prereview.org/reviews/10298448.

    Does the introduction explain the objective of the research presented in the preprint? Yes Yes, the introduction of the preprint clearly explains the objective of the research. The primary goal is to evaluate nursing intake forms from Massachusetts jails to understand the screening and preventative services offered during the medical intake process for individuals who are incarcerated. The intention is to assess the consistency of healthcare delivery, identify potential areas for improvement, and emphasize the importance of involving key stakeholders, particularly nurses, in standardizing the medical intake process.
    Are the methods well-suited for this research? Somewhat inappropriate It is somewhat inappropriate because of the generalizability of the study. The study focuses on a single state (Massachusetts), and the feedback is obtained from health services administrators at jails. Also, there is acknowledgment of potential variations between state-run jails, and the study is specific to jails, with potential differences in the medical intake process in prisons.
    Are the conclusions supported by the data? Neither supported nor unsupported The study analyzes nursing intake forms from Massachusetts jails and involves a content analysis process, including feedback from Health Services Administrators at the jails. While the conclusions draw attention to potential inconsistencies in nursing intake forms and advocate for standardization, there is acknowledgment of the limitations, such as focusing on a single state and obtaining feedback from only one person at each jail.
    Are the data presentations, including visualizations, well-suited to represent the data? Highly appropriate and clear Yes, there is only one graph/image and it is easy to follow.
    How clearly do the authors discuss, explain, and interpret their findings and potential next steps for the research? I don't know
    Is the preprint likely to advance academic knowledge? Somewhat likely - Highlights standardizing the medical intake process - Can help us better understand healthcare in a jail setting
    Would it benefit from language editing? No n/a
    Would you recommend this preprint to others? Yes, but it needs to be improved Methods
    Is it ready for attention from an editor, publisher or broader audience? Yes, after minor changes Methods

    Competing interests

    The author declares that they have no competing interests.

  2. Version published to 10.1101/2023.10.24.23297482v1 on medRxiv