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Did you plan to be a correctional nurse?



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Jun 12, 2009 09:22 PM

Did you plan to be a correctional nurse?


I am just curious as to what type of nurse you planned on being while in school. I know that I never even considered correctional nursing. I wanted to be a psych nurse... I really love psych nursing and get a good taste of it in corrections.

I have been a RN since 2003 and have been in corrections for 2 years. I have worked in a state prison that houses 3500 male inmates and in a county detention center that houses up to 700 inmates. I am currently full time at the county.

Truthfully, I have looked for other jobs to try seek "something better" but I really do enjoy corrections. I like being in the jail better than the prison. Its higher turnover with people coming in and out. (short term) We get a little bit of everything too!! Gotta be on your toes!

I have many people tell me that I should be an instructor... maybe someday! lol

So... what was your passion while in school?

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8 Comments
No. 1
from familychick
Old Jun 14, 2009, 09:59 PM

Default Re: Did you plan to be a correctional nurse?
Did I plan on being a corrections nurse? absolutely not! My plan was to continue school and become a certified nurse midwife. By the time I graduated (BSN) in '95 I was burned out of school. I've done a little of everything and stumbled into the prison last year and love it!
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No. 2
from MadisonsMomRN
Old Jun 16, 2009, 07:12 PM

Default Re: Did you plan to be a correctional nurse?
That is similar to me... I wanted much more as far as education but stopped due to being burned out.

I stumbled into it because it was good money... then I grew to really like it!
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No. 3
from Orca
Old Jul 02, 2009, 05:39 PM

Default Re: Did you plan to be a correctional nurse?
I actually went into nursing to get out of corrections. I had worked in and around corrections in various capacities for over 15 years before going to nursing school. I answered an ad for a per diem prison nursing position about nine years ago just to pick up a couple of shifts per month, and I wound up back inside the fences full time.
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No. 4
from prison_nurse
Old Jul 02, 2009, 06:39 PM

Default Re: Did you plan to be a correctional nurse?
That's what happens! Correctional workers become as institutionalized as the inmates!!!
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No. 5
from prison_nurse
Old Jul 02, 2009, 06:42 PM

Default Re: Did you plan to be a correctional nurse?
In LPN school I was interested in correctional nursing or psych. In the ADN program, I wanted to save the world, work ER, ICU, etc.. I worked at the local jail to finance my schooling. I worked briefly in a hospital as an RN after graduation and realized I missed corrections. See, institutionalized!!!
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No. 6
from it's hot in phoenix
Old Jul 04, 2009, 01:40 PM

Default Re: Did you plan to be a correctional nurse?
Was in the hospital setting for 12yrs and actually went to the "prision job" because I had so many different jobs at the hospital, I could never find time to finish school. Thought it to be a "easy" job would have time to finish school and get the heck out and go back to the hospital, plus a bonus was the pay. While working in the hospital, we use to think that nurses in corrections, only did it cause they couldnt work anywhere else. Where I'm at, is all women and the only one for the state, about 4000. I work max (deathrow-lifers) and intake, soon realize this is not a easy job.With constraints of your states budget, at times it feels like you are in a MASH unit somewhere My main goal, is to assure everyone is safe and alive when I go home at night. I soon realized how valuable nurses in corrections actually are. I'm told I care too much and that I'll change, but I wont allow that to happen.
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No. 7
from prison_nurse
Old Jul 04, 2009, 03:58 PM

Default Re: Did you plan to be a correctional nurse?
Originally Posted by it's hot in phoenix View Post
I'm told I care too much and that I'll change, but I wont allow that to happen.
I think sometimes it gets to you... As a supervisor I have to deal with the kites and informal complaints and it seems that no matter how much you do for some, it's never enough. They write you up for not giving them a tylenol, crying "deliberate indifference". I have lost count of the number of times I have been told "I'm going to sue you".

But, I do care. It bothers me if nurses treat others poorly. There are ways of saying no or setting limits without being rude or shouting.
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No. 8
from MadisonsMomRN
Old Jul 04, 2009, 08:31 PM

Default Re: Did you plan to be a correctional nurse?
I do like corrections. I get burned out and do look around and have interviewed at other places... but all in all, I like it. At least I know that if I am there someone will care about the inmates... lol. You cant please them all but that's anywhere. I feel like some of the nurses I work with are mean to some of the inmates. If the nurse "likes" them, they are nice. Ugh... I could go on and on.

Its nice to hear how others got into corrections. You either love it or hate it!
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