Do nurses get out on time working corrections?

Specialties Correctional

Published

Specializes in LTC.

Do prison nurses get out on time? If not, how often do you have to stay over past quitting time(not including overtime for call outs)? I'm really getting sick of LTC and the ever increasing documentation.

Yes and no. I work as a registry RN at a State prison in CA and the LVN's finish their pill lines and wait to go home. The RN's finish their clinic line and wait to go home. The TTA (Triage Treatment Area) and CTC (Correctional Treatment Center) RN's wait for relief usually 30 min. However a state employee maybe ordered for another shift when needed.

Specializes in Emergency Department.

Yes and no is correct.

Some days when I don't have the keys to the narc room and there are no emergencies on the yard, then yes I get off work on time. However, having the narc room key means I get to stay at least 1 hour to do count.

If there's an emergency, whether I responded to it or not, I may have to stay until the IM is stabilized and the next shift can take over, however long that may be.

As a corrections Rn, I do get on time most days. I've worked in medium/maximun security and county jail. Staffing is the biggest key to this question. If the facility is staffed appropriately, I have rarely had to stay late. And the documentation is minimal LTC, because the facility is not regulated by Medicare funds.

I probably get out on time 90%. When I worked the infirmary, count and report took a bit longer, so maybe out on time to 30 minutes late. Also, depended on last minute admissions. I have also been locked-down where no movement was allowed and we weren't allowed to go home. That happens rarely, usually a death, serious fight, or snowstorm.

I get out on time 90% of the time.

Specializes in LTC.

Thanks for your responses. 90% of the time is better than the 50% I'm doing with my present employer.

I work in a county jail that houses approx 250 IM's and most of the time I am able to leave on time or shortly after, barring any emergencies that is. We are very short staffed and have just 4 FT staff, 2 on nights and 2 on days. 1 is currently training to fill in, so if someone calls in, we pretty much have to cover.

Specializes in Emergency Department.

Yesterday I was scheduled from 6A - 6P and night shift was late and then I had a call for an emergency on the yard, so I clocked off at 9PM. I left my house at 5AM and got home at 9:45 PM. :zzzzz

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

I rarely get out on time. I worked two 15-16 hour shifts this week that were supposed to be 12s. Chronic short-staffing + violent yard and the emergencies that brings.

I get out on time about 90% of the time. Most of the nurses here do. If you are organized and not a procrastinator, you shouldn't have a problem.

Specializes in Case Manager/Administrator.

I am the DON in a major prison facility. Our nurses generally get out in time barring any emergencies. We have a no overtime rule.

Now as far as paperwork/documentation goes we are on par with skilled nursing facilities. You must document, we work in an enviroment in which everything you do will be reviewed, patients have the right to grieve you which can lead to a tort claim against you, your company, the prison facility.

We count every sharp item we have this can take time. We have staff overlap by an hour to get the count completed and report done. It is a job where crossing your t's and dotting your I's are to be done daily sometimes even hourly.

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