corrections is fantastic!!!

This is an important point, and one that many people miss. Many of the inmates we get have had little or no medical care prior to incarceration, and little or no education in health, medication or disease processes. Many of them are also poorly educated. If they did get an explanation it probably wasn't on their level of understanding. I get asked very basic questions almost every day, and I patiently answer them in terms the inmate can understand.

One thing I find very rewarding is when an inmate tells me that our discussion was the first time that something was explained in understandable terms. A lot of inmates were outcasts long before they became convicted felons, and I'm sure they didn't have a lot of time spent with them regarding medical matters.

Thanks for the info everyone. I work in LTC and very bored. Have to stay over 2 hours after the shift is done. Then it's start all over again. I'm getting some applications into the corrections department here. I'm just waiting to get called back. If they do I will definitly go to it. I work with some of the most miserable bad seeds in LTC. Yes, there all over. But I like to work and be challenged as well. You all are great people.

Hi! i really donot have an idea of what correctional nursing is about ?can u plz give me more info about the qalificaton and areas of spetialization.its a quit interesting and creative field as u said
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yes me too, im planning to work in that kind of field but i dont know if i will meet the qualifications, i just moved here in SD,California and with 1 yr hospital experience abroad.thanks

i'm going through the hiring process for a county correctional's rn position and having mixed feelings. i moved to be closer to my kids and grandkids and i hate my job. i feel i was mislead on this job. i was hire for a pulmonary/pcu floor and see everything from cellulitis to syncope, discharge pts during the day who were admitted at night and continue to call doctors because they did not read the labs. so when i saw a job/chance to apply and take a break from hospital nursing i applied. there must of been 80 nurses for 6 positions and i thought i would never be called. boy was i surprised. I am a male with 2 years of critical care experience, so who knows. my wife is not too happy, but i tell her i do not see 80 nurses applying for open positions on my floor. most of the nurses are miserable on my floor, there are alot of changes and not for the better. now i have about 5 phone numbers just in case other positions open up in the corrections facility. the only thing is i'm nervous about the polygraph test, i was told just tell the truth. i did some stupid stuff when i was younger. never spent a day in jail, but arrested and released. i've heard pros and cons, but i need a break from the constant phone calls, i find myself doing more nonskilled nursing then when i started nursing. well who knows, if this doesn't go well, i'm might just go back to rehab as a physical therapist assistant and pick up a couple of shifts at top dollar to make up the difference in pay. never had this much stress during rehab. my frinds say i'm might really like it because i'm not into the politics and i don't kiss ass to get the easier assignments. i do my job well and to the point, but i am looking forward in working one on one and educating pts. sometimes we do not have the time in the hospital. well i'm glad i found this thread and if anyone has suggestions i would greatly appreciate it.

Corrections is one of the few nursing specialties that incorporates aspects of almost all of the others - nurses deal with emergencies of all kinds, chronic illnesses, ortho, psych, wound care, geriatrics (unfortunately the population is aging in prisons, and many facilities must accommodate the "skilled" components of care), etc., etc You must be diligent with the documentation, as our population usually comes with their own legal advisor! Assessment skills are probably the most important, and are used most days by all levels of medical staff. The way you interact with the inmates sets the tone for how you will be treated - being firm, fair and respectful goes a long way in interactions anywhere...sticking by the rules and showing that you treat everyone the same will earn you a reputation of someone who cannot be manipulated, which will then actually make your interactions and your job easier. As Orca and Donald stated, patient education is a big thing in corrections, and you will be amazed that many people do not know basic health information. This is one of the big reward areas for me! This makes corrections sound like a perfect job (and for me it is!), but there are negatives. You mentioned politics and leaving them behind - there are TONS of politics in corrections. We are guests in someone else's domain, and there are those from the security side whose main focus everyday is to deny the inmate any diversion - and going to medical is certainly a pleasant change from the housing unit. There are those officers and other medical staff who are there to gossip, flirt and carry-on instead of doing their job. I have always found that the firm, fair and respectful philosophy works well with ALL individuals you come in contact with at the facility - inmates, other medical staff, Security. Once they see that you are there to do your job, and that you do it well, they will gain a respect for you that will then enable you to be even more successful in the environment. In summary, while corrections can as stressful as other environments, perhaps just in a different way, it is a job that had great satisfactions as well. On my first interview for a corrections job, when I really had no idea that there were even medical services provided behind the wall (never gave it a thought one way or the other), the person I was interviewing with told me I would either love corrections or hate it, and I would know pretty much right away....she was so right! I love it....and I hope you try it and discover that it is the right place for you to be as well.

thanks rn for your info. i need to remind myself how diverse nsg is and this is part of my journey. i just hope i love it and can start working on my bsn.

I'm a female RN and have worked in a mens' county correctional facility over 5 years now and I love it. Like many here have already stated, it is never boring and it is always challenging to all your nursing skills. The one thing I hate is the look on other nurses' faces when you say you work in a prison. They almost look down on you like you must not be a very good nurse to work there....to me it is the complete opposite! It takes a special person to deal with all the issues you see in this setting.

i know the feeling, some of my coworkers show a face of literally disgust when i tell them i'm working in a correctional facility, i can't believe it. i tell them i don't see 80 nurses looking for a position on this floor. just yesterday i was working with a pt who is on methadone and a recovering heroin addict who's been in the correction facility i'm going to work in and he stated that i'm going to do good there due to how i worked with him, that was encouraging news. just wish me luck on my polygraph this thursday, they tell me just tell the truth and you'll pass.

I am a correctional nurse as well, and I love it. I think this is part of my calling. May God bless us all.