How did you come to work in corrections?

Ion · Jan 12, 2004

Like said above:

1. You don't have to deal with the patient's family... ever.

2. You don't have to lift patients buy yourself or with too few people thanks to the officers.

3. You know what a "cho-mo" is, and can use the word in normal conversation.

4. If your patients give you too much crap you can order a breathing treatment (pepper-sol).

5. Here you are LESS likely to be involved in a takedown or assaulted than at the area hospitals.

6. In the hospital security usually consists of older men armed with radios. The officers at the prison are tough SOB's with clubs, shields, shotguns and gas.

7. If your nose is stuffed up, you can always hope for a good gasing in the seg unit to clear it up.

8. You know which patients are the criminals.

9. You can have a list of 1,700 lawyers not to hire!

10. people always tell you.... "You work in a prison?"

Rules to remember:

1. Don't marry an inmate (think I'm kidding too).

2. We have officers not guards. Guards guard building, but officers deal with people. Think of it as calling your charge-RN a candy striper.

3. Never, ever lose your keys.

robnlynw · Feb 2, 2004

I have been out of correctional nursing for 3 yrs now and am very excited about going back. This is the one job I have worked at nursing that you can and will use all skills, from treating trauma to constipation it's all there.

The benefits are better than anywhere....and trust me the older you get the more imortant the benefits are.

I love it and won't leave correctional nursing again.

Reborn · Feb 11, 2004

Like said above:
1. You don't have to deal with the patient's family... ever.
2. You don't have to lift patients buy yourself or with too few people thanks to the officers.
3. You know what a "cho-mo" is, and can use the word in normal conversation.
4. If your patients give you too much crap you can order a breathing treatment (pepper-sol).
5. Here you are LESS likely to be involved in a takedown or assaulted than at the area hospitals.
6. In the hospital security usually consists of older men armed with radios. The officers at the prison are tough SOB's with clubs, shields, shotguns and gas.
7. If your nose is stuffed up, you can always hope for a good gasing in the seg unit to clear it up.
8. You know which patients are the criminals.
9. You can have a list of 1,700 lawyers not to hire!
10. people always tell you.... "You work in a prison?"
Rules to remember:
1. Don't marry an inmate (think I'm kidding too).
2. We have officers not guards. Guards guard building, but officers deal with people. Think of it as calling your charge-RN a candy striper.
3. Never, ever lose your keys.

HEhe :chuckle Amen to the above.

I've left corrections for a quieter life now, but I was in it for four years, went b/c of a management offer that I thought would look good on the ole' resume, found out it wasn't that scary, and if you gave repect, you usually got it, and when you didn't get it, you "respectfully' had 'em put out of your medical, with the admonishment that you would be glad to see how you could help them when they could abide the medical dept. rules.

I really liked that part, cuz I could never do that in the ED :lol2:

susan18 · Mar 6, 2004

Just curious of our group here what led you to corrections. It's certainly a challenging field of nursing (but aren't they all!) It seems several of the nurses I know in real life started in psych first and that has been a great preparation.

reply to Nurse Ratched: I started out as an ICU nurse, added ER to my specialty, worked as an Army nurse officer in the reserves, did 1 yr. of a specialty office practice, then looked for a new specialty that would enable me to work 8 hr. shifts, and few weekends. Several of my friends in other depts of my hospital left and went to work at our female state prison. I went online, checked the job postings and salary ranges, and applied. I knew that I liked triage and outpatient work, so could hack it without ventilators, drips, and dying trauma patients. I was ready at age 48 for something else, and I have found it. Our staff nurses work every 3rd weekend, and now I am a clinician, so I work M-F and take on call every 8th weekend as nurse supervisor by phone only. I love teaching my nurses and helping out the new hires. I guess I am a born mentor! susan18

cindyrn1 · May 22, 2004

To be honest........I left my husband back in Georgia and came to Missouri to start a new life with my 3 babies. I moved to my old hometown where there was a Maximum Security Forensic Hospital and I got hired the day I went to interview. I never intended to stay very long, just long enough to get back on my feet financially and then I was going to go back into the clinic setting of psych nursing. I stayed 7 years there, got vested and resigned. Not because I hated what I did, but because of the twisted politics that went on there. The lying, back stabbing, the set-ups and whatever else you can imagine drove me away. I thought I would go into the normal hospital setting to regain my medical skills and I did this for about 2 years, but I was not meant to be a medical surgical nurse. Then one day after being unemployed for several months, the job of my dreams was offered to me. I am now the Mental Health RN for the States' Women's Prison. I have an office and I work with the best co-workers a person could ask for. I work my own hours just as long as I put in my 80 hours per pay period. I see inmates as I schedule them. They come into my office, we talk briefly about their meds, and I do my assessment of the situation and document this. After I have seen my inmates, I call the doctor for verbal orders or whatever he feels needs to be done. I do groups with the women on medications and visit the ones that can't come out of their cells. I have always loved psych nursing. I have worked with 3 yr olds to 99 yr olds. I have worked with every mental illness diagnosis you could imagine. I feel very safe in the environment that I am in now and I am praying that this is the job that I retire from. I drive 50 miles to and from work but it is so worth it for the job that I have. I know people that I work with that drive 2 hours to and from work every day and they have been there for 5 years (this is how old our prison is). I wouldn't do any other kind of nursing right now. After being injured so badly from working in the Forensic hospital before this job, I am now able to work as an RN doing what I love most without having to hurt everyday that I work. It's a challenge working in Corrections but overall, it's the best job that I have had in many, many years. People can say what they want about working in Corrections but it takes some very special people to do what we do as nurses.

:balloons:

auntb · Aug 4, 2004

the nurse who gave the simple mechanics of a sick call in the correctional area is correct............Unlike the private medical field where any patient can have weapons, verbal abuse,& physical aggressive behavor toward you and the company you work .for...you have no recourse......... When it is deemed the sick call is over that's it....

Medical staff in a correctional facility is more often guarded than in the Emergency rooms, clinics, or private offices .....they are independent in the fact they do not instutite the punishment, but if something is needed they can help both inmates and officers......

I was in corrections for many years and earned respect of the officers and inmates by remembering what I was told on my first day....(and man was I scared)

I did not put the person in jail/prison ..........I can not get them out........The Inmates are Mothers Fathers, Son's Daughter's Aunt's Uncle's ... most were at the wrong place at the wrong time ....many have college educations yet unlearned, some never learned to write their names...yet are smarter in ways to survive with talents beyond belief...

Anybody can be put into jail/prison, you me anyone---one time......two times maybe for circumstances (legal) but, repeat offenders to county jails/prisons......they have chosen the correctional life as their career.....(for whatever reason or circumstance that got them there)....the same as the nurse chose to go into nursing as an occupation..

There are good and bad in all area's at least in the corrections you know the lab reports of the inmates before treatment, which is not true in the private sector that's a big advantage when bood or treatments are needed......and you are the one providing this service......................Thank you :)

Pattiecake · Dec 4, 2004

......they have chosen the correctional life as their career

I just have to comment on the "chosen career." Yesterday saw a guy in sick call c/o about having to be on BP meds. He said "I was fine before I came to prison. I'm 48 and worked like a 20 yr old doing heavy work." usually I don't comment on their outside life, but for some reason he caught my interest, and I asked him what his outside job was. he very proudly reported he was a drug smuggler and could easily cary a 100lb pack on his back over hill and dale. Hmmm, guess this is why I don't usually ask them about their outside life.

The reason I became a correctional nurse is because it is one of the few things I had not yet done over a rather long career. A new prison was built in the area in 1994 and it intrigued me. By 1997 I applied and have been hooked ever since. Started as PRN and am now NM and I love my job. Some very hilarious stuff happens there, it's sure not all drama.:wink2:

Pat

jailnurse1033 · Feb 23, 2005

I had been working in psychiatry for 5 yrs and applied for a correctional job just for per-diem. I was pretty sure I wasn't interested in this type of nursing, but the pay was good. The first week I oriented I knew I loved it. I went to corrections full time - it was a nice change of pace after 5 yrs of molly-coddling psych patients. And "NO FAMILY MEMBERS EVER!" - that just never gets old!