Very concerned at my new job!!

[whyohwhy]

I'm a recent RN. I got my license about one month ago. I applied to two places, and I ended up getting a job at one of them, in corrections.

It it has only been two days. But let me tell you, it feels like a disaster. The person who was supposed to train me have me to another nurse halfway through on day 1. On day 2 she flat out refused to train me. So in my two days I've been trained by three different nurses, none of whom seem interested in actually teaching me anything.

The he next thing is because I'm working in a prison, each nurse has trained me in a different unit. I feel as though, on the whole, the training is extremely weak. I'm nervous whenever they say my "training is up."

Im im only past time. So I worked two days. Now all next week I will be doing security training, which isn't nursing related. So I will have about seven days without learning anything about the nursing component of the job.

I understood corrections ions was going to be different from a hospital, but I've never in my life had a job that seemed so directionless. I wasn't even scheduled beyond next week and the manager said "oh I will just figure something out, I had you on to work independently in December." Huh?

I have aver friends that are getting orientations and mentors and lots of training. I am very concerned about this situation I'm in. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for a new grad who has ever worked in corrections. I feel like I will get lost in the unit right now if I don't have so done with me.

Management seems so lax and bizarre. No one has given me a good lay out if what my responsibilities are, what keys to use, no formal computer training, etc. yet the nurse manager will call me over all excited when she does an assessment on an inmate because it's a "learning experience."

Im honestly so confused and overwhelmed. I didn't think it would be like this.

Please help!!

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

Why did the first nurse refuse to train you?

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

"I need a step by step on exactly what I am to be doing during the course of the day" Ask your manager for keys, for passwords, for whatever it is you need to do your job on your own in December.

If you are the med nurse, observe how that is done. If you are the treatment nurse, again, observe. Watch and learn how the information is put in the computer. How they set up the administration process (med cart? Are you in a cubby and inmates come to you?)

You may have to direct what you need to be successful. "Can I shadow the med nurse today, as I need to learn how to input in the computer" I would ask that you have a "go to" if you run into issues. Otherwise, your goal is to get everyone medicated and/or treatments by the end of your shift. And to chart accordingly. Pull on your clincals knowledge of how you put documentation into the computer and gave meds. See if there's a master list. On it should have cell numbers, the inmates, and med list.

Security training is important as you will get some less than stellar response from some inmates. Have more than a few correction officers that have your back.

Overwhelming for sure the first few weeks. But you will get this. Best wishes

[CryssyD]

When I started corrections nursing, I had already been a nurse for 20 years, in multiple settings--including agency work, which saw me going to places I had never been and functioning as a regular staff nurse (which I usually did pretty well, if I do say so myself). My first week in corrections had me feeling like I was on another planet. It was so different from everything else I had ever done! I thought I would lose my mind. So, believe me, it isn't just you--it is different.

In corrections, safety first, always; your safety, that is. Take your security training seriously; you need to know how to stay safe. Ask questions, and learn from your security personnel--they are specialists in that area, just like you are the specialist in medical things.

As far as your training goes, I really like jadelpn's idea of being proactive about it--ask for instructions; ask about policies and where exactly you can find them written down. But the most helpful thing people who trained me did was to write down the tasks for each shift and a timeline that defined when I needed to have each task completed. That helped break it down for me in a nice, straightforward way.

Being the medication nurse is pretty simple, once you get over the sheer volume. Being a treatment nurse, or infirmary nurse, can be tougher. I don't know the security level of your institution--mine is kind of medium; higher security can be rough at times. But you'll get used to it eventually--you've only been there 2 days, you haven't even gotten your feet wet! Cut yourself a little slack--you'll be fine.

Stay safe, and trust your instincts; you'll be OK. Best wishes!