I start a new career on Tuesday as a corrections nurse!!

Specialties Correctional

Published

I am starting a new career as a corrections nurse. I have been a nurse for only three years. My background is renal, urology, kidney transplant, med/surg peds, postpartum, delivery and neonatal. Any advice from my fellow colleagues?

I will be working at a medium security male prison.

TIA,

Michelle

Specializes in correctional, psych, ICU, CCU, ER.

Remember that kindness can be mistaken for weakness

Pull your hair back,

don't wear dangling earrings

They are inmates, not patients,

Run like hell

scream when you have to

Don't take any crap

get a good orientation

keep your head down

be careful, it's a jungle out there

Good luck

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We are an accumulation of our experiences.

With that said, you should always have a guard right there with you when you are with inmates. I have never had a bad experience in the temporary assignments I have worked at in a jail and a prison. I would do it again if given the oppourtunity.

I hope you enjoy your new adventure. Good Luck to you.

B.

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Specializes in ICU,ER,med-Surg,Geri,Correctional.

Your sucess has so much to do with the agency you will work for. If they are a contracted service. They will try a squeeze eveyhting they can. But most of all Know your Scope of Practice and always remember that just because someone in higher administration tells you do something. You are still responsible for your actions. Also get your own mal practice. Jails have a tendency to settle with inmates to avoid publicity and the nurse fall into a bad rap, sometimes when the occurs.. Enjoy you new job but always remember Inmates are always unpredictable

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Yikes! Okay - you have a CONSIERABLE amount of exp but I'm shocked at how quickly they 'dropped' you in.

A little about myself: I am a new grad who is so easy going and literally can't be swayed by most. I'm an LPN and have been hired by a local jail. We house approx 300+ - most awaiting sentence and a small section that has been sentenced but nothing more than 2 years (most work outside prison). I have been given a 10 day (10 hr shift) orientation and will be completing this within the week. I realize my assessment skills are not one of an RN but also feel that I'm a person who can realize and understand a situation quickly (work PRN @ school setting & SNF). I'm not one to be manipulated (I have children :p, need I say more, I'm always thinking the worse) and I have always worked w/mentally disturbed/abused/dementia patients so I tend to not judge a book and watch my back closely.

I can only suspect that my voyage through corrections will strengthen (and test) my skills until I obtain my RN next year. My education is ongoing and I like I mentioned earlier, I work at a SNF and also substitute as as school nurse. I'm hoping I become well deversified and anticipate that the Jail will always keep me humble and hope it will never make me jaded!!

Cheryl

I agree with those who stress the importance of a good orientation. I work per diem for two facilities with the Nevada Department of Corrections. In one facility, I was placed with an experienced nurse for two shifts on the shift I would be working for orientation before handling the job on my own. When the time came for me to do the job myself, I felt comfortable enough that I could do most things without consult. It also helped that there was another nurse on duty who I could ask questions of during my shift.

At the other facility, I was given one day of orientation on a different shift, then left to handle the job alone the next night. I felt totally lost. Fortunately, the offgoing nurse was nice enough to stay over and show me some things that my orienting nurse had not bothered to show me. The difference in this facility between the shift I oriented on (7-3) and the one I was asked to work (11-7) was like night and day. I felt ill-prepared for the latter assignment, so much so that I seriously considered telling the DON I would not work. After a couple of shifts there, I feel much better, but a decent orientation could have relieved a lot of stress.

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Yikes! this seems overwelming! Do you work maximum security? I haven't felt this 'pressure' since I started 1 1/2 month in my facility. In fact, I haven't had any issues at all.

Elaborate if possible!! Always love a veterans outlook and advice!!

Remember that kindness can be mistaken for weakness

Pull your hair back,

don't wear dangling earrings

They are inmates, not patients,

Run like hell

scream when you have to

Don't take any crap

get a good orientation

keep your head down

be careful, it's a jungle out there

Good luck

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you! Any advice where to search for mal practice insurance? Does it matter?

Your sucess has so much to do with the agency you will work for. If they are a contracted service. They will try a squeeze eveyhting they can. But most of all Know your Scope of Practice and always remember that just because someone in higher administration tells you do something. You are still responsible for your actions. Also get your own mal practice. Jails have a tendency to settle with inmates to avoid publicity and the nurse fall into a bad rap, sometimes when the occurs.. Enjoy you new job but always remember Inmates are always unpredictable
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