FORSYTH, Ga. — "Drawing up some insulin for a diabetic," says Tunesia Davis, a nurse at the Monroe County jail. Whenever inmates aren't feeling well, she takes care of them. "Mainly muscular, skeletal, diabetes, some skin issues here and there."
The patients may be behind bars, but Davis says she treats all her patients the same.
"They're just like any other patient, that comes to a doctor. You treat them with the utmost health care experience that you can give them," says Davis.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office makes sure every inmate gets proper health care.
"Just like the average person, they are entitled to nurses, doctors, medication, whatever they need," says Captain Eric Davis.
They may be paying time for their crime, but Eric Davis, captain of the jail, says it's their constitutional right.
"When an inmate's in your custody, then you're required by law to make sure they are cared for in every way. That means to care for them medically," says Captain Davis.
Captain Davis says to keep their health care top-notch in their facility, they had an experienced physician and other experts in correctional health care survey the facility.
They looked at how the sheriff's office keeps up with standards on safety, personnel and training, health care services and support, patient care, and more.
Davis says, "We just want to make sure that every inmate receives the care that they need."
The National Commission on Correctional Health Care awarded the jail with an accreditation on correctional health care.
"We like to keep an open communication line with our inmates to where if they do have a problem even in the middle of the night, and they can get the care they need," says Captain Davis.
The jail has two nurses and a doctor working every day.
This accreditation is completely voluntary, so jails aren't required to get it.