Education is a passion for Lorry Schoenly, DNSc, RN. This is clear from her own educational achievements as well as her lengthy career in providing professional education to others.

It’s no surprise, then, that Schoenly wasted no time in becoming a certified correctional health professional. She sat for the exam in February 2006, just 11 months after taking her first position in correctional health care, when she joined Correctional Medical Services as director of staff development for its New Jersey region.

She sought certification so quickly because, she explains, “as an educator, it is important to me that I have a solid grasp of any specialty area I am involved with.” She also appreciates that the credential has helped her to establish her credibility with others in this field.

While Schoenly’s preparation for the exam did provide needed knowledge of correction health care, her professional expertise was already impressive. She has more than 20 years of nursing experience, much of it directly related to staff development and education.

Schoenly earned an MSN degree in 1988 while working as a staff development instructor for Zurbrugg Memorial Hospital, Willingboro, NJ. From there, she advanced to become the director of education and nursing standards for Rancocas Hospital, also in Willingboro, and then the assistant vice president of education and development for both hospitals.

While serving as the director of education with the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses, Schoenly earned a doctor of nursing science degree in 1997. She has also participated in research activities in project development and management and has contributed to numerous publications.

Challenge and Opportunity
Schoenly was “looking to return to a closer connection with the actual delivery of care” when she came upon the newly created position at CMS. She was intrigued by the potential to help improve care for the 27,000 inmates in the 14 state prisons for which her region is responsible. Her job entails designing and managing orientation, in-service and continuing education programs for nurses, physicians, dentists, managers and ancillary staff.

Schoenly tackles the job with enthusiasm, and views working with inmates as both a challenge and an opportunity. From a health care provider’s perspective, she sees great opportunity to provide treatment for a concentrated period of time, to attend to a largely disadvantaged community and to make a positive impact on public health. She cites communicable diseases as an area where correctional health care can have an especially large impact.

As an educator, however, she says that the great span of services delivered to this needy population is a major challenge. Staff members must have diverse knowledge and experience, and a wide array of skills, from emergency suturing to HIV counseling. They also must stay current on a vast amount of information. “It’s soup to nuts,” Schoenly says.

Answering the Call
Given the demands for professional expertise, becoming certified is “worth every minute of preparation,” Schoenly says. Her experience was particularly beneficial because she formed a study group with other CCHP candidates. Such groups foster mutual encouragement and accountability in learning the standards, she notes. Now she is a vocal advocate of certification for CMS employees.

Despite the difficulties inherent to this field, Schoenly takes inspiration in a statement she learned in her job orientation: “Everyone, not just the privileged or advantaged, deserves quality health care.” A devout woman, she adds that day-to-day work in corrections is not simply a position but a calling, and she finds ample rewards in knowing that she is “contributing to the good of so many.”

— About the Author: Matissa Sammons is the professional services assistant at NCCHC.