[mercedes_rn]

Hi there,

I've been in corrections for 5 years and have worked at all levels -- federal, state and county. Everywhere I've worked the inmates are given the filled syringes to inject themselves and I've never heard of anyone trying to hurt a nurse with a dirty insulin needle. I feel that if you give the inmates respect and treat them fairly, they do the same for you. I've found that the only ones you really have to be leary of are the inmates that are truly mentally ill. I give those inmates the injections myself (and they're usually shackled anyway).

Take care and be safe.

[nancykday]

In our facility, the i/m do not handle the syringe or the lancet. They are only allowed to handle the syringe, draw up the insulin and perform their own fingerstick for the 2 weeks prior to parole or maxing as part of their home training. And this is closely observered to prevent them from palming any of the sharps.

[tashfonz]

In our facility the inmate does his own finger poke and then disposes of it in the sharps container, they also inject their own insulin and the place the needle in the sharps container. We are inside the med room with a window with bars on it that we slide the needle and lancet under. Our hands/ bodies are not in reach of the inmate unless we leave our hands by the window.

[Truegem]

Don't you have safety needles that retract after being injected?
I wouldn't worry about it. One wrong move and they will have 30 cops/guards on them, right? I think this is what prevents them from doing a lot of things they might otherwise be tempted to do.

[RN.38SPCL]

We have the inmate check his/her own blood sugar and draw up their own insulin. They are standing on the other side of a steel cart, provided with a safety lancet,alcohol wipe,cotton ball, test strip and the glucometer. They dispose of the sharps in a sharps container fixed to the cart. They are then handed the syringe and their insulin. The inmate has to record his blood sugar, amont of insulin taken, the date and the medpass time. It works really well. I would think it is safe to say the true diabetics want their medicine and don't want to get into trouble. The only trouble I ever have out of diabetics is noncompliance with diet. We do not count sharps. sharps are kept locked up and used one at a time and disposal is witnessed.

[Larry in Florida]

Originally Posted by akwesook

I have only worked at county jail but it was the policy there that the inmate stick himself, dispose of the sharps into container and inject self. I for one feel safer that way because of the distance between me and them. I have experienced that the guards are (at times overly) protective of us and willing to use whatever force they feel appropriate

Relax,
We let the inmate do all the work except for drawing up the insulin.
No big whoop!

Larry RN in Fl

[tirzo13]

Itsa prison, as the Captain tells everyone, its unsafe, thats why we get paid well.
If a person does not feel comfortable, then they should leave and get another job.
It dangerous.
We had a nurse get her jaw broke, nurses get spat on all the time.

A person sentenced to life does not care if there are CO's around or not, if he wants to knife you, or spit on you he will.
Nothing can really be done to him, he is a lifer.

People say they respect nurses, hence they won't hurt them.
They have interviewed inmates that attacked nurses.
They have attacked there favorite nice nurses.
Why? because nurses are easy targets.

Its a dangerous job, we do it because of the high pay.
still, i believe that an inner city ED is more dangerous, as are mental hospitals.

As far as the needles go.
If you give the needle to them, not only can they strike you, while the cop is 20 feet away, they can also break the needle off inside them, using it for a weapon or tattoo gun later.

[tirzo13]

As far as CO protection goes, CO's are usually pretty good staying close to young female nurses.
Us men, or married older female nurses, the CO's read the paper.
Nothing against CO'S, tough job, just what i see where i work.

[VegRN]

Wow, this is so true! I laughed out loud when I read this. Sad, but true.

Originally Posted by tirzo13

As far as CO protection goes, CO's are usually pretty good staying close to young female nurses.
Us men, or married older female nurses, the CO's read the paper.
Nothing against CO'S, tough job, just what i see where i work.

[tirzo13]

Yeah, its a bit different.
A while ago, we got ******* at for not having escorts by the CO's.
They don't escort us (men, older women), and we get ******* at.

They roll there eyes when we ask for escorts, don't want to get up from what ever they are doing,dont want to say, because i may get some people upset.

Anyway, so most of us "non young/hot nurses" quit asking and do the work without escorts.

So after being ******* out for not having escorts, that whole week I was escorted by a female CO.
Don't get me wrong, she could kick my butt, even though she was 5 feet tall and 100 pounds.
Its just funny because all the inmates teased me about it.