Just hired!

Specialties Correctional

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I just got offered an LVN position at Soledad on Friday. I am waiting for my packet to come in the mail so I can get all the details, get it sent back and get my start date. Does anyone know what the dress code is there for nurses? And any other tips from people who work there or another facility, I would appreciate them!

Other bits of advice: Officers like to be called officers not guards.

Oh man- remember this one! I made the mistake of calling an officer a guard... ONCE.

Just never get comfortable and you will be fine.

Wise words to live by...

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Latex gloves for homemade guns???!!??? Sounds like a bad episode of Macgyver, not a prison!

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Specializes in Psych, substance abuse, MR-DD.

:yeah:Congrats! :)I hope your new job is suiting you well.

Any updates?

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hi guys am so glad i found this thread,hw i love this website.its been my one true guide.i have been looking at correctional nursing,i actually applied on line 2 weeks ago for rn position.i hv received 3 letters of employment enquiry but 2 of them are far frm san siego were i live.one is in soledad about 50mins away from me.but it says full time temporary,what does this mean,is it k to accept first then later b offered full time in d same jail,cos i dont want to move family closer to my job and end up been terminated of moved to another far jail,pls help me understand guys,i am really hoping i get a job in donavan but i have not got any letter from there,is ther a limit to how many emplyment enquiries you get?do the get pissed and not send u any more? wat are my chances of been hired? i have 3years experience outside u.s and almost on year psych experience in san diego,i work in a locked unit.thanks for replies,guys,thanks:crying2:

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Specializes in Psych, substance abuse, MR-DD.

April2009- I'm not sure what you mean about these letters, you are going to have to contact them directly to find out the specifics. Have you gone to an interview yet?

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thanks for replying.sorry,i was writing in texting language.my bad!i have not interviewed yet.they sent me 3 letterss from 3 different jails in california to find out if am intrested in working in any of them,but the closest one to me is offering fulltime limited term,am not sure what this means,if its limited then how long is it usually?can i be easily offered a fulltime after i get my foot in the door or will they just let me go when they feel necesary.thanks

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Specializes in Psych, substance abuse, MR-DD.

LOL, thanks for the translation.

I don't know specifically about california, maybe someone from CA can help out with experiences. But in general, a lot of temporary positions can either be changed to permanent, or a new position at a different location could be offered to you. I do think that getting your foot in the door would help you to get a permanent position though, I mean, as long as you do well there and like it:)

I would check it out. And then when you go to interview, you can find out the specifics about the anticipated length of the position, and ability to transfer, etc.

Good luck! I'm trying to get into corrections too.

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I am a newly licensed LPN. I got hired yesterday for my first nursing job at a city jail. I never really preferred jail nursing in clinicals through school and could never really see myself doing it. I have looked and looked for months for my first nursing job and this was the only job opportunity that came up. I toured the jail yesterday and became overwhelmed with the inmates yelling things at me and the jail wasnt that clean. (im used to the hospital setting) I have always preferred Emergency/trauma nursing or working with the babies. Everyone is telling me you have to start somewhere and to just give it a try. Im feeling kind of nervous and unsure. Can anyone give me any advice or experiences they have had working in a jail? I feel that this may help me get experience and will look good on my resume rather than restraunt jobs for future job openings that i really want.

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I have been at CDCR for a little over 2 months now and this was my first job as an LVN too. The best advice I can give you is to not be nervous. Nursing in the prison is different then in a hospital but its still nursing. The inmates yell and are vulgar because they are trying to see how you will react so don't respond to them and if they get to out of line, grab an officer to step in and take care of them. On that note, make sure you make friends with your officers :) We rarely have to ask the ones that work in the clinic where I am at to step in because they act at the first sign of an inmate being disrespectful. On the upside, once the inmates know you mean business and won't take their crap, they should straighten up. But be sure if you tell them you are going to do something for them, like check on a prescription or something else medically related, that you follow through. They will respect you for that and that helps with how they treat you too. Know that you are going to see things in a prison that are going to knock you off your feet, shock you, disgust you and even intrigue you but once you leave there, nothing will ever shock you again :)

Whatever you do, keep and open mind. I wasn't thrilled at taking this job either. It wasn't in a place I wanted to move or close enough for me to commute. I left a non nursing job that I loved because I loved my coworkers. I was scared and unsure of working in a prison. I cried every day of my first week for the entire 90 minute drive home. Now, I have to say it has grown on me. It's nice to be using my license and I am actually enjoying it.

Good luck to you and keep us updated on how it goes.

Jax

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thanks for the advice! I start in a week...still nervous and feeling aprehensive. and like you said you were...im not crazy about this job so hopefully it grows on me. i wanted to be really excited for my first nursing job but i just have these thoughts in my head that im not going to get comfortable quick enough with this. oo well i took it for the experience which im going to get. so we'll see how it goes and ill keep posting on here with updates :)

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Specializes in Psych, substance abuse, MR-DD.

Good luck in your new job! Funny how you got a corrections job but you don't really really want it, and I really really want a corrections job and I can't get one!

It certainly isn't for everyone, but who knows, you may find that you are more suited for it than you thought!

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Specializes in Correctional Nursing, Orthopediacs.

Glad I found this thread. Well I went through the first week of DOC training next week I am on the floor of the infirmary. Was not the career path I envisioned either but that is ok. Guess it will be an experience.

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