[ADSEGTeleMed RN]

Originally Posted by Monica RN,BSN

Curious to know why you have to have excellent credit to get hired? What is the connection??

Do the Math... Good Credits meansyou dont owe too much money from financial institution. You are in control ofyour finances which means..... Being less susciptible of being bribed by inmates for doing something for them .... and then becoming drug couriers for prison gang.

[fizz2Nurse]

First, I can say that prison nursing can be very good work. The difficult part coming from hospital based was learning "no" nursing as they call it here. Being able to tell inmates no and tough luck. Such as you can ask for tylenol on the new fish unit at pill call but we don't deliver at other times. Or telling the whiners when we're running behind that they have a choice, take your meds or refuse them.

Currently on assignment in a max facility, I find the C/O's very good people and we treat them often for stress ailments such as migraines and GI upset but they are very protective of the nursing staff. Never promise an inmate, just say you'll try and "if I can". Also being honest saying you forgot or sometimes being a smart aleck in the right way works. A whiner asking for a band-aid sometimes gets "all bleeding stops eventually"

I work the infirmary and new fish units and the IM's know we are not obligated to do a lot extra, and only the ones that are polite get more attention, otherwise the answer is always fly a kite (send a communication form)


One of the new adaptations for new corrections nurses is lingo: the first time in report I was told by the leaving shift: He had some upset so I gave IM crackers. I missed the next sentence wondering how crackers are given IM ........... oh! INMATE

Plus all the 10-codes, since I'm night staff and have a radio, learning that comes fast.


Of course for new fish our Blood borne pathogen teaching is : If it's warm wet and not yours, don't touch!

I would compare it to a cross between long-term care and urgent care nursing. A world of it's own but not very dangerous as long as you are assertive and always able to tell the inmate you are in control and you follow the safety rules.

Plus it helps that the facility I am on assignment at pays their staff RNs $14 per hour more than the local hospital.


Contract over end of this month and I'd do it again,

[Truegem]

I always tell my friends and family that I work in the safest place in the world.
1. The bad guys are wearing bright orange jumpsuits. Out on the streets, you can't identify the bad guys by what they're wearing.
2. The bad guys are "in their place". They must keep their hands in their pockets, they must face the wall when you pass by them, and they may not speak unless spoken to. Out on the streets, a bad guy can walk right up to you and vicitimize you.
3. If the bad guy tries to hurt you, he will have 20 deputies on him in seconds. If a bad guy tried to hurt you on the streets, you might not have a cop for miles around!
I always feel safe at work. But mind you, I maintain my own safe practices also. Don't turn your back on an inmate. Always have the inmate walk in front of you. Don't leave heavy or sharp objects within an inmate's reach, etc etc etc.
-Gem

[texascowgirl]

what the hayull is a "FISH" unit?????????

Originally Posted by fizz2Nurse

First, I can say that prison nursing can be very good work. The difficult part coming from hospital based was learning "no" nursing as they call it here. Being able to tell inmates no and tough luck. Such as you can ask for tylenol on the new fish unit at pill call but we don't deliver at other times. Or telling the whiners when we're running behind that they have a choice, take your meds or refuse them.

Currently on assignment in a max facility, I find the C/O's very good people and we treat them often for stress ailments such as migraines and GI upset but they are very protective of the nursing staff. Never promise an inmate, just say you'll try and "if I can". Also being honest saying you forgot or sometimes being a smart aleck in the right way works. A whiner asking for a band-aid sometimes gets "all bleeding stops eventually"

I work the infirmary and new fish units and the IM's know we are not obligated to do a lot extra, and only the ones that are polite get more attention, otherwise the answer is always fly a kite (send a communication form)


One of the new adaptations for new corrections nurses is lingo: the first time in report I was told by the leaving shift: He had some upset so I gave IM crackers. I missed the next sentence wondering how crackers are given IM ........... oh! INMATE

Plus all the 10-codes, since I'm night staff and have a radio, learning that comes fast.


Of course for new fish our Blood borne pathogen teaching is : If it's warm wet and not yours, don't touch!

I would compare it to a cross between long-term care and urgent care nursing. A world of it's own but not very dangerous as long as you are assertive and always able to tell the inmate you are in control and you follow the safety rules.

Plus it helps that the facility I am on assignment at pays their staff RNs $14 per hour more than the local hospital.


Contract over end of this month and I'd do it again,

[Nursing_Dude]

Pretty sure in prison lingo they are refering to the newly admitted I/Ms. I am in my first semester of an ASN program and feel a little like "Fresh Fish" right now myself.

[Shantas]

Hi everyone:
I am also thinking about working in a prison in California. Currently I work in a Kaiser Hospital...the pay is really good but not as good as the prison system....I also got one of those letters that the California correction send you if you pass that exam on line...I am very tempted to apply for this position but I am partified....all my friends at work tell me I shouldn't apply...that I would get killed or get raped....so on...does anyone have any info about California Institution for Men, Chino California?? Is it a scary place to work?? I have till 21st Nov 07 to make up my mind!! I am very confused...

[lashawn04]

So...for all the nurses working in corrections, what training do you suggest? I am interested in nursing in corrections here in Ohio, where they are waiving the 6 month nursing experience in order to get more nurses. However, I am wondering if I will be able to master the skills as an RN in this setting. I graduate this July from nursing school. People/teachers have told me that they could see me doing corrections b/c I have that assertive mentality. Do you think I should get some years experience under my belt before going to corrections?

[mary78910]

I've only been an RN for about a year, not quite a year yet. I worked on Medsurg for 8 months then went to ob for a month. I got called by some staffing agency offering me a job in a prison. When they told me the pay i jumped on it, heck it was 10 bucks more an hour than i was making. The job bores me to tears. I'm locked in a cell 8 hours a day, i get out twice for two 5 minute breaks,dont' even get lunch, i pass pills all freakin day. I do get to go to seg occassionally when they have med alerts, which are a guy faking everything known to man, or someone slipping and falling. So far nothing too exciting has happened. The people (nurses) i work with are great, i love em, most of the guards are great, of course you have the jackass guards who get ****** because the new girl takes 20 minutes longer to pass the pills because god for bid we have to ask the IM their name and number, because we are searching through bins of bubble packs of pills. It's not easy like the hospital you put your finger on a computer and the drawer pops open to dispense the med you need, oh no you have bins and bins of pills, and half the time the inmates pills arent there and so then off to search for the pill you need through all these freakin pills lol. drives ya nuts. The IM are nice enough, never had a problem with them, but i think i'm going back to hospital nursing just for the experience, i'm not saying after i've been in a hospital for 10 years i wont go back to prison nursing because i'm sure i will, i just am afraid of losing my skills right now, i'm new, and feel i need to learn how to be a hospital nurse, learn my skills, feel confident in them before i continue iwth this job where i don't use hardly any. oh yeah in a hospital if you've never heard of a med you can look it up, oh in a prison you look it up after you give it, if you have time. Oh and btw, going through a staffing agency they pay 5 bucks more an hour than getting hired right in to the prison, and you get the same bennefits, i know some nurses hate this but heck its christmas time, i needed all the extra money i can get

[Monica RN,BSN]

Originally Posted by texascowgirl

i've got three too lol.........third one wasnt a charm like they say...so maybe the fourth one?

hi cowgirl:
I am working on hubby four! LOL

[nursecratchett]

Ive been in corrections for a while and am having my first real probrem. I had an abusive husband of 5 yrs. break my arm last November. It was a serious break that required 2 surgeries b/c my humerus and elbow were shattered. I got rid of him!!
I thought I was ok until I went back to work. Most of the inmates were wondering where I was and cared about me, but the 1% that are jerks are really getting to me. Their horrible comments seem to stay in my head and I know its b/c of what happened- I dont want to lose my job and sincerely love working in corrections-- any thoughts? I have always had a professional and tough nature- they never used to get to me. Now Im not doing so well- I would love to hear some thoughts on this!
Thanks!