BOP Program Statement 5562.05 § 8

a. Medical staff shall ordinarily perform the following

procedures upon initial referral of an inmate on a hunger strike:

(1) Measure and record height and weight;

(2) Take and record vital signs;

(3) Urinalysis;

(4) Psychological and/or psychiatric evaluation;

(5) General medical evaluation;

(6) Radiographs as clinically indicated;

(7) Laboratory studies as clinically indicated.]

If an inmate refuses the initial medical evaluation, a signed

Refusal of Treatment form (BP-A358) must be obtained and also

documented in the Progress Notes (SF-600) of the Inmate’s Health

Record. (Refer to the Program Statement on Patient Care)

[b. Medical staff shall take and record weight and vital signs

at least once every 24 hours while the inmate is on a hunger

strike. Other procedures identified in paragraph (a) of this

section shall be repeated as medically indicated.

c. When valid medical reasons exist, the physician may modify,

discontinue, or expand any of the medical procedures described in

paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

d. When medical staff consider it medically mandatory, an

inmate on a hunger strike will be transferred to a Medical

Referral Center or to another Bureau institution considered

medically appropriate, or to a community hospital.]

The decision to transfer an inmate on a hunger strike for

medical reasons should only be made after consultation with a

physician.

P5562.05

7/29/2005

Page 5

# The inmate should be admitted to a community hospital

if his medical condition warrants continuous enteral

(oral) or intravenous support.

# Local institutions need not transfer an inmate on a

hunger strike to a Medical Referral Center (MRC) unless

an MRC’s specific services are required.

# Mentally ill inmates who do not eat or drink for more

than 30 days, regardless of the apparent reason, should

be referred to an MRC for evaluation and treatment of

the underlying mental illness.

e. Medical staff shall record in the appropriate section of

the inmate’s Health Record, entries for all the medical

procedures described in this section. (Refer to the Program

Statement on Health Information Management.)