How would you react to being taken hostage?"

allnurses Guide · Jun 15, 2008

Hi there, welcome to allnurses

Do you want to give a bit of bacground to your question. I this a homework question or do you work in corrections

CN Student · Jun 16, 2008

Hi there, welcome to allnurses
Do you want to give a bit of bacground to your question. I this a homework question or do you work in corrections

I currently work in a correctional facility and the question is also for my homework. I'm just eliciting information on how an individual would react in such event.

Vikingkitten · Jun 17, 2008

I currently work in a correctional facility and the question is also for my homework. I'm just eliciting information on how an individual would react in such event.

:twocents:Wow! What an assignment! Never done the prison thing before, but was once part of a government group (that doesn't exist )that did hostage rescues and other things all over the world.

The best thing we were taught was to cooperate in any way you can. Don't confront or resist. Doesn't mean you are going to survive, just statistically betters your odds on being able to tell your Grandkids about it!

Keep your eyes and ears open and remember anything and everything you can for the rescue team or the negotiators.

I'm sure your facility has SOPs or guidelines for something like that.

txredheadnurse, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2008

I worked a lot of years in a variety of correctional settings; even went through 4 riots. During all those years what I had in the back of my mind constantly was what I was taught at my first assignment. If you are taken hostage do your best to remain calm and be cooperative. However also realize we do not negotiate for hostages so accept the fact that you might not make it out alive.

I made my peace with that. Honestly I never allowed myself to feel fear once I walked through the perimeter of the facility. That might sound unbelievable but it worked for me for nearly 12 years. I walked back into the "freeworld" at the end of every shift and then had my case of the nerves at times lol.

Jules A, MSN · Jun 18, 2008

That is kind of a whacked question, imo. Unless someone has actually been taken hostage we are essentially "refereeing from the cheap seats" it is so easy to speculate but until there we won't really know.

Me? My guess is that my big mouth would probably get me offed pretty quickly.

Vito Andolini · Jun 30, 2008

Probably doo doo my drawers?

surething1 · Jul 8, 2008

That is a very scary reality. I had a family member who worked corrections and she felt very unsafe at all times for the entire 5 years working there. Due to lax staff letting things slide. And more so from the staff that had connections to the inmates. Staff members even fall in love with some of the inmates. Some guards are corrupted to one extent or the other. It was alot of little things but as she said the inmates only have to succeed once.

RN Randy · Jul 8, 2008

I agree with Jules... it's hard to say how one would react.

It would depend on the situation I guess; if it were a "sit down and shut up till we get what we want" situation or a "Hey, since we're in control now, we will be raping, torturing and killing at our leisure" situation.

The former being a no-brainer, and the latter being very circumstantial...

The best case being...

None of the above.

rb

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Jul 8, 2008

[color=#000040]how would you react to being taken hostage while working in prison?"

not well. :down:

Trauma Columnist · Jul 8, 2008

This question is like asking how you would react in combat? No one knows unless they've BTDT.

I would hope I would remain calm and cool. However, like JulesA - I have a big mouth and would probably tick someone off quite quickly - lol.

lauradrizzt · Sep 13, 2008

I was assaulted and grabbed by a psychotic inmate with full blown AIDS back in 1997. He didn't have me for a hostage long enough for me to consider what I would do though...who knows? Have to wait until I was stuck and then decide what worked for me I guess.