August 11, 2021
Kelly Schreifels, RN, Nursing Supervisor, Correctional Care
My mom had an in-home daycare and I remember always wanting to help children – especially kids who didn’t have a lot of resources. I thought I wanted to be a probation officer working with juveniles. But then my dad got sick. I was his caretaker and went to all his appointments at the hospital. After watching the nurses, I thought, “Oh my gosh, I could do this!” My dad was my biggest supporter and told me, “Kel, I think you should really become a nurse. You got it in you, girl.” He gave me the push I needed to go to nursing school.
Shortly after graduating, I ran into Heather Qunell, who I went to nursing school with. She told me about jail medicine, which I didn’t even know was a thing. So I applied, was hired and I absolutely love it. I can’t imagine doing anything else. Our team is a little bit of ER, a little bit of urgent care and a little bit of primary care. We bring care to individuals who are incarcerated and then provide care in a clinic setting once they’re released. It’s so fun because we get to do a bit of everything. People sometimes ask me what it’s like to work in a jail setting. I always tell them that as nurses, we treat every patient with respect without knowing anything about their back story. This is no different. People make mistakes, but we meet them where they are and offer help so they can move forward. I think everyone deserves a chance.