BOP Program Statement 6010.06 § 5

Inmates will only have assignments of minimal responsibility. Inmates will have close

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supervision to prevent them from gaining access to privileged medical information, from having

authority/control over other inmates, and from acquiring contraband.

Inmates with skills as physicians, dentists, nurses, and any other health care areas will not be

assigned to the HSU.

a. Inmates will not be assigned to:

 The pharmacy and medical storeroom, or jobs involving the handling or processing of, or

having potential for access to, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. Inmates may

perform janitorial services in these areas under direct supervision.

 Areas where they will have access to health records, including blank copies of records or

records to be shredded, forms, or documents that will become part of the health record.

This includes any assignment where reasonable potential for access to a health record

exists, not only assignments located in the health records section, but also assignments

such as clerks to physicians, laboratory and x-ray clerks, and similar areas.

 Functions involving the scheduling of appointments or any other tasks with potential for

determining access to medical care.

 Jobs as clinic assistants or other medical assistants involving responsibility for direct

treatment procedures such as administering medication, applying liquids or ointments,

administering medical soaks, dressing changes, irrigating tubes, removing sutures,

venipuncture, providing inhalation therapy, obtaining vital signs, etc.

 Duties as scrub nurse or assistant, or any other duties that involve physical presence in the

operating room during surgery.

 Carry out clinical tests or measurements, such as audiometric testing, pulmonary function

studies, electrocardiograms, refractions, etc. Inmates may not have access to the reports

of such tests.

 Additionally, inmate workers may not be present during any x-ray procedure,

including positioning inmates on the x-ray table and setting the dials for exposure.

This prohibition includes inmate workers developing x-rays as well as having access

to x-rays and x-ray reports.

 Situations involving formal clinical contacts between staff and inmates, such as

triage/sick call visits and other medical appointments. Exceptions would include

emergency treatment or testing in which assistance of inmate workers is necessary, or

interpretation when no staff member can speak the inmate’s native language.

 Inmates will not assist consultants in any way.

b. Inmates can be assigned to:

 Janitorial duties throughout HSU. Inmates must be directly observed in areas of the HSU

that contain privileged medical information or potential contraband.

 The dental clinic, in accordance with the Program Statement Dental Services.

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 Positions as inmate attendants, as long as they are appropriately trained and their duties

and supervision are detailed in written procedures. Examples of appropriate duties

include feeding inmates, assisting in the transportation of inmates, changing bed linen,

and cleaning inmate rooms.

 At no time are inmates permitted to document anything in the medical record.

 Inmates may assist staff to a limited extent when no other staff are available but will

not be involved in independent or direct treatment procedures.

 Inmates with an active mental health diagnosis undergoing treatment must be cleared

by both health services and psychology prior to being assigned as an inmate attendant.

 Serve as “companions,” in accordance with the Program Statement Suicide Prevention

Program.

 At institutions with hospice programs, inmates may be employed as hospice workers as

outlined in an Institutional Supplement. Hospice-trained inmate volunteers provide support

services to hospice inmates and are trained to the same standards as volunteers in the

community.

 Participate in the Medical Inmate Companion Program. Technical guidance for this

program is posted on the HSD page on the Bureau’s intranet site.