afraid of losing my liscense

Blackcat99 · Apr 24, 2004

:rotfl: I use to work at the penitentiary. The RN's would decide who was to get an EKG and who was not. I worked at the pen and I would notify the RN when a patient c/o chest pain. The place where I worked the inmates lived in different buildings which were about a 5-10 minute walk to the medical dept building. EKG's don't cost much? My doctor's clinic charges $90 for an EKG. If an RN says she's not going to do an EKG on an inmate who arrives at the medical department laughing and joking with staff and who shows absolutely no sign of any kind of distress I say Hard working taxpayers having to pay $90 per EKG per inmate!!!!!!

fiestynurse · May 30, 2004

The spider bite issue and the lack of cleanliness in your facility caught my attention. They are probably not spider bites, but MRSA. I would start keeping track of these so called spider bites a little more closely. You may want to start culturing them and tracking them in some sort of log. Does your facility have Public Health Inspections?

Also, I would just like to comment that the money you save by not taking every complaint of chest pain seriously will go out the window when you get sued for millions because an inmate dies from your neglect. Not all inmates are faking it, that is why you have to treat every complaint as if it is legit and document like crazy. That's why correctional nurses need excellent assessment skills because we can not always go by what the inmate is saying. LVNs can do EKGs - they just can't read them. I would do the EKG and bring the strip to the RN to interpret. I would take a set of vitals and report all the subjective data that you have collected to the RN. I would make sure that everything that you did is well documented, including reporting off to the RN. Your license is then protected.

littlebitt · Jun 24, 2004

:chuckle Gee thanks a lot C-pillow. No wonder my taxes are so high!
:roll

I am a nursing student and I was SHOCKED when I read your statements.

Are inmates not human? As I said I am a student, therefore I have not witnessed what working as a nurse in a correctional facility is like but I am saddened to think that a nurse (who's job is to provide care to the best of her ability) would avoid giving someone medical attention based on the thought that the majority of inmates "fake it". This may even be true, but I think it should ALWAYS be investigated.

Blackcat99 · Jun 25, 2004

:chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

Destinystar · Jun 26, 2004

if an rn tells you to write something you do not agree with you should tell her to write it herself. if not you are legally obligated to state the facts. chest pains alway warrent an assessment. if the assessment is done properly it could r/o cardiac pain, & cardiac problems and the inmate would not require an ekg. chest pain could be muscular, rib pain, etc. you are working with sociopaths please look it up and become familiar with it on the website. these people will say and do anything to get their way. they are extremly unreliable not to mention dangerious. the rn's sound like they have adjusted their attitudes accordingly. as you know if you really think an inmates life is being compromised you can overide the rn and call 911 and get the inmate help. as far as the protocol for cleaning the cell goes look into the prison policy concerning this matter and if it is not being done per policy you can address this issue with who ever is in charge. :balloons: skin infections are often cased by staff. the source are sheets, and clothing not washed in hot water with bleach. report this to whoever is in charge of infection control.

hello everyone! i have a few concerns about the correctional facility i work at. first, the rns do not want to be bothered by me calling them concerning an inmates problem. if an inmate is complaining of chest pain the protocal in our facility is to have the inmate get an ekg. the rns are responsible to do this. eventhough an inmate may have heart burn, the protocal is for the rn to do an ekg. the rns continuously push the lpns to restate in the encounter forms what the inmate actually states. for example... inmate c/o chest pain. rn says restate as chest discomfort to avoid the inmate causing the rn to do an ekg. i'm really sick of jeopardizing my liscense for their laziness. are the rns like this at most correctional facilities? i work nights so it could be night shift rns. the day shift rns where i work don't have a problem with seeing an inmate. maybe cause the don is still in the building. my second concern is the cleanliness at the jail. the inmates clean their own cells. this is not done on a regular basis. toilets aren't clean regularly, floors are used from cell to cell with same mop water. the inmates are always getting skin infections. the inmates always think "spider bite", but rarely is one bitten by a spider. the inmates say we have the worst facility in florida. some of you out there may know where i work. anyways i'm just wandering does any facility out there gets sanitized. well i guess i can post my other concerns later. theres just too much to list. thanks to all for reading.

TalldiNY · Jun 28, 2004

I am a nursing student and I was SHOCKED when I read your statements.
Are inmates not human? As I said I am a student, therefore I have not witnessed what working as a nurse in a correctional facility is like but I am saddened to think that a nurse (who's job is to provide care to the best of her ability) would avoid giving someone medical attention based on the thought that the majority of inmates "fake it". This may even be true, but I think it should ALWAYS be investigated.

I smell fresh fish... Make sure you work in a hospital for a few years before you even think about working in corrections.

Yes, they are human, but they are all without exception antisocial personalitiies. Yes even the substance abusers. That's why they are in prison. They are indeed all manipulative. You must be careful to keep the sympathy out of it. Empathsize don't sympathsize. That's something they can smell!!

Yes you do have to evaluate every client carefully when they come in to sick call. But always in the back of your mind is what is this guy/gal looking for? A quick trip to the hospital and an admission to avoid a sexual predator, a debt he/she can't pay, an escape attempt, a bunk change with MD approval, sedation/pain killers, just attention???

Unfortunately, I have seen ALL the above. You have to talk to the C.O's on the clients unit and check on his/her recent activites. The C.O. escorting them may just be a yard officer, not from their unit.

As far as cleanliness goes, most clinic areas are clean. The units do the best they can, but most facilities are old and just as in old hospitals, things may not be spotless.

And KEEP documentation on every encounter.

Good luck to you all.

di

Moscow · Jun 28, 2004

Hi Nursecat
I don't think the nurses are being lazy. They are just being realistic. I have had so many inmates complain of chest pain. They are not pale they are not nauseated and they are not having any trouble breathing. Most of them are just "whiners"
who have heartburn or a need for attention. It costs money to do EKG's. Why waste money doing all these EKG's on inmates who are having heartburn? I am an LPN and as long as I report it to the RN I have done my job. Of course, when the DON is around then the EKG's have to be done. Welcome to correctional nursing:roll

It does not sound like nursing but it does sound like corrections. Unless you work in the facility in question you do not know do you? It might cost a few dollars to do a EKG but so what?

Moscow · Jun 28, 2004

"Most of them are just "whiners"
who have heartburn or a need for attention. It costs money to do EKG's. Why waste money doing all these EKG's on inmates who are having heartburn? I am an LPN and as long as I report it to the RN I have done my job."
Good attitude.

The best way to avoid a slip of the tongue in the witness box is not to get into the rather unprofessional habit of calling the patients 'whiners'.

Moscow · Jun 28, 2004

I am a pediatric nurse whose son is in jail for his third DUIL and waiting for boot camp. He will go to prison if it happens again. He is only 23 years old. I know he needs to straignten up his act. I know drinking and driving can kill someone, but he is not a hard core criminal. He has a one year old daughter. Even though I am very frustrated with him, I love him. I am appalled at some of those who call themselves nurses with their attitude. I always wondered how healthcare is in jails. Yes I can see how it could be frustrating for the nurses who have to care for the sex offenders, murderers, etc. I get frustrated with the child abuse. I want to know that my son will be taken care of. God will take care of the offenders in the end. I pray my son will swear off booze and straighten his life around. I would hope he is getting help and not shunned. I just couldn't believe some of the stuff I read. This could be your son, daughter, brother or sister. I pray my son will be safe everyday. I want to know his health will be taken care of. I could go on and on and on.....I just couldn't believe some of the posts. :crying2: :crying2:

I have investigated quite a few prison facilities over the years. I was constantly amazed at the depraved indifference I encountered. I hope your son does indeed get his life together.

I was delighted to read your post. It made me feel slightly better about posting to this forum. I was beginning to feel distinctly icky about some of the other posts I read.

Moscow · Jun 28, 2004

:chuckle Thanks probable cause. The taxpayers love nurses like me. Why waste the taxpayer's money on unnecessary EKG's? Why not use the taxpaper's money to pay for counseling that is needed by the "VICTIM'S" OF THE INMATES!!!!!
:roll

The inmates are sent to jail as punishment and not to be punished in addition to the prescribed sentence and the taxpayer is of course far better served by compliance with the laws of the United States of America.

The cost of an EKG is small change if it is to be expended by a regime dedicated to ethics, morality and legitimacy. The purpose of an EKG is to establish something with a greater reliability than merely guessing.

Blackcat99 · Jun 28, 2004

The inmates are sent to jail as punishment and not to be punished in addition to the prescribed sentence and the taxpayer is of course far better served by compliance with the laws of the United States of America.
The cost of an EKG is small change if it is to be expended by a regime dedicated to ethics, morality and legitimacy. The purpose of an EKG is to establish something with a greater reliability than merely guessing.

:chuckle Well my guess is if an inmate comes into medical laughing and joking with staff it probably means he is not having a heart attack. But I don't work corrections anymore so please feel free to waste all the taxpayers money. After all, we have to make sure that there is no money left over to help the innocent elderly who are often victims of these inmates. Yes let's spend all our tax money on the baby rapers.

Dixiedi · Jun 28, 2004

Hello everyone! I have a few concerns about the correctional facility I work at. First, the rns do not want to be bothered by me calling them concerning an inmates problem. If an inmate is complaining of chest pain the protocal in our facility is to have the inmate get an ekg. The rns are responsible to do this. Eventhough an inmate may have heart burn, the protocal is for the rn to do an ekg. The rns continuously push the lpns to restate in the encounter forms what the inmate actually states. For example... Inmate c/o chest pain. Rn says restate as chest discomfort to avoid the inmate causing the rn to do an ekg. I'm really sick of jeopardizing my liscense for their laziness. Are the rns like this at most correctional facilities? I work nights so it could be night shift rns. The day shift rns where I work don't have a problem with seeing an inmate. Maybe cause the don is still in the building. My second concern is the cleanliness at the jail. The inmates clean their own cells. This is not done on a regular basis. Toilets aren't clean regularly, floors are used from cell to cell with same mop water. The inmates are always getting skin infections. The inmates always think "spider bite", but rarely is one bitten by a spider. The inmates say we have the worst facility in florida. Some of you out there may know where I work. Anyways I'm just wandering does any facility out there gets sanitized. Well I guess I can post my other concerns later. Theres just too much to list. Thanks to all for reading.

First I have to say what a bummer for you. When I worked corrections I ran the EKG myself.

After that I have to say finish the assessment and then verify is it pain or discomfort. Don't change what you wrote to start with but add to it that when inmate was asked to describe the pain.... and end with discomfort even if you have to feed the word to them. Just get it from them!

They'll come in with C/O all sorts of things that they know will get them out of whatever it is they are supposed to do.

I worked in the Fla system. It's amazing how many inmates were allergic to the mallaluka tree (inmates go on cutting/trimming detail) and come to clinic call for a statement the day before they were scheduled to go on detail until we started sending them out for allergy testing. Well, the shakles and allergy testing to verify the allergy reduced the number of inmates allergic in less than 6 weeks! It was a miracle! LOL

Point is, sometimes, all to often actually, they don't have anything else to do. One guy came in with chest pains and insisted on an EKG, I did the EKG then called the hospital for a consult (televised) held that inmate up for 4 hours when the only thing it turns out he was trying to do is get out of a 2 hr lock down.