do the correctionals hire new grads?

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN · May 26, 2009

Nevada doesn't. Our positions require a year of experience.

It would be better for you to get a year of hospital experience before venturing into corrections. Correctional nursing requires a level of independent functioning that a new graduate simply isn't equipped to handle.

jnrsmommy · May 26, 2009

Never hurts to try. I had friends in Louisiana who went into corrections first job after nursing school.

calif-me · May 27, 2009

They hire new grads where I'm from. I applied but didn't get the job. I'm glad because I think i'd be too intimidated by the environment.

eric909 · May 27, 2009

california corrections in chino does not hire new grads.

tirzo13 · May 29, 2009

Salinas Valley, SaN Diego, and Folsom hired new grads.

Depends on manager and facility like anything else.

I worked at plenty of places that said they didn't hire new grads, but one day boom there i was working with a new grad.

Don't ever let anything someone says keep you from trying.

Exceptions for everything have been made for various reasons.

Akasha85 · May 29, 2009

you don't want to go into especially being a new grad. I don't know what is worse the officers or inmates. Inmates will throw urine, feces and sperm on you. They like to pull out their member to see if you get upset. They will say anything to try to get you to trust them. They are not in there because they are nice people. There are fights then you have to patch them up. They fake illness's to see if you will send them to hosp. The officers make crude statements about the nurses so why should the inmates respect the nurse. Get some seasoning under your belt first, tour a prison the worst one in your area. then make a decision. The guards are suppose to be with you at all times when you are with an inmate and they are not so accusations are made. Just be careful. The most rewarding place to work is a nursing home, it is hard work but it is satisfying

tirzo13 · May 29, 2009

Somethings i would like to echo.

Yes, officers are supposed to be with you at all times.

thats what they will tell you when hired.

ask the manager hiring you a million times, and thats what they will tell you.

They may say eventually "depending on whats going on, the officer may have to be someplace else".

well that someplace else happens all the time. Now you can say, well i'm not doing this and that without an officer.

eventually the officers and fellow staff will hate you, so you will have to quit, unless you are one of those wonderful employees that can figure out a way to sue your bosses.

So yes, officers are supposed to be with you, but they will end up not.

and yes, then you will be suspected of giving favors while alone with the criminal, or at least you may be assaulted while alone.

don't let someone tell you that inmates respect nurses so they don't hurt them.

actually opposite.

they will attack nursing staff (inmates that have attacked nursing staff have been interviewed) even if they like the nurse.

1. because they are easier prey.

2. attacking an officer is a felony. attacking a nurse is no big deal (part of the job). they may have got caught, but they are not stupid.

yes, they will fake illness to go to hospital.

its a vacation for them, they get to feel like big whigs because all these extra officers have to watch them (at taxpayers expense), and its a chance to bring in or take out contraband.

So, you get to the point, no matter how good your assessment skills are, you have to decide if this guy is faking, or if he really is sick.

If you miss something, you will get sued.

Threats to be sued are nearly daily.

Even good nurses miss things.

HeartsOpenWide, RN · May 29, 2009

A classmate of mine just got hired at a Prison in California. He is starting out at $85,000/year. Not to bad for some one in their early twenties. Not the job for me, he on the other had was made for this job!

spongebob6286, BSN, RN · May 29, 2009

Salinas Valley, SaN Diego, and Folsom hired new grads.
Depends on manager and facility like anything else.
I worked at plenty of places that said they didn't hire new grads, but one day boom there i was working with a new grad.
Don't ever let anything someone says keep you from trying.
Exceptions for everything have been made for various reasons.

thank you for that advice tirzo!

spongebob6286, BSN, RN · May 29, 2009

one piece of advice of a very good friend of mine who works in a detention center is to be really tough and just do your job!

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN · May 29, 2009

About 90 percent of correctional nursing is how you carry yourself. Set limits early and word will get out. You will definitely be tested by inmates, but if you show them that you are going to work by the rules that will slow to a trickle. I read a couple of very pessimistic assessments earlier in this thread, and all I can say is that I'm glad I never worked where those people have. I have worked in and around corrections for almost 30 years, and only the last eight have been as a nurse. I was once a correctional officer in a medium security prison and I have worn some other hats as well.

The ironic thing is that I went into nursing to get out of corrections, and I wound up right back in it. It has been an interesting career to say the least. If you find the right spot it can be the best job you ever had.