[juvynurse]

Originally Posted by 12hrs_at_a_time

I work in Tennessee and the starting salary for LPNs is 16-17/hr. Much better than hospitals.

Same here in Idaho. State workers hadn't had a raise in over 3 years and the Governor finally pushed through a 3% merit based raise.

I'm making close to $17.00 an hour in a very rural setting and it's paying about $3-$4 an hour more than our local hospital.

I'm very content here.

[military spouse]

RN making $24 an hour with CMS (prn). Was making $31.50/hr on med/surg unit.

[jimmyjohn]

Originally Posted by military spouse

RN making $24 an hour with CMS (prn). Was making $31.50/hr on med/surg unit.

CMS pays a lot less than most hospitals pay. They also cut benefits left and right. We went from 11 paid holidays per year, to 6. Mind you, the staff in St. Louis did not have any benefit cuts.

[SlavicNurse]

CMS and PHS lost a lot of their contracts in Tennessee. PHS was replaced by CCS and CMS was replaced by another company, but I don't know who.

[texascowgirl]

i have made up to $38/hour as an independent contractor for GA DOC, but there aint enough money in the world that would make me do it again. (see my thread on geographical differences)

[Orca]

RNs in Nevada DOC are making around $32 per hour base, no Social Security deductions and no state income tax. There is a 5% night differential.

[RNCCHP]

I work in the Nevada correctional system and RN's start at approximately 30.00/hour. The benefits aren't that great, but the pay is better then what the nurses make in the hospitals and the job is physically easier. Kellie

[texascowgirl]

i have made MORE in correctional health than in hospital nursing. it's easier work too. the unfortunate part of correctional health is the fact (sorry yall but it IS the truth), lots of your fellow nurses will be either 1) incompetent 2) lazy 3) lacking clinical skills 4) cant get hired elsewhere or 5) like the attention and hook up with inmates (i have seen it happen more than i care to mention)...........i know this will bring lots of angry responses, but sorry, this is MY experience cross the board-i have worked corrections in multiple facilities in two states and find the same caliber of nurses in every facility i have worked in. and same goes for docs-old retired ones, ones that cant hack it in a real hospital, or simply incompetent. not to say there are SOME good medical professionals in correctional health, but you will find very few of them. but it sure is a good ego boost to go into the field if you have good clinical skills, cuz you will SHINE amongst your comrades...........

[luvmy2angels]

Our county prison pays $14/to start for LPN. The state run prisons start out at $27.40 for LPNs, don't know what the rate is for RNs. I live in PA.

[military spouse]

Originally Posted by texascowgirl

i have made MORE in correctional health than in hospital nursing. it's easier work too. the unfortunate part of correctional health is the fact (sorry yall but it IS the truth), lots of your fellow nurses will be either 1) incompetent 2) lazy 3) lacking clinical skills 4) cant get hired elsewhere or 5) like the attention and hook up with inmates (i have seen it happen more than i care to mention)...........i know this will bring lots of angry responses, but sorry, this is MY experience cross the board-i have worked corrections in multiple facilities in two states and find the same caliber of nurses in every facility i have worked in. and same goes for docs-old retired ones, ones that cant hack it in a real hospital, or simply incompetent. not to say there are SOME good medical professionals in correctional health, but you will find very few of them. but it sure is a good ego boost to go into the field if you have good clinical skills, cuz you will SHINE amongst your comrades...........

Your post is sooo true. I just started in corrections a few months ago and can't believe the laziness of SOME nurses and the number of nurses that are only there to get attention from both the inmates and C.O.'s. It amazes me!