Are you paranoid yet?

[GlowBear500]

Just wondering if working in correctional nursing will make you overly cautious? (Not that that is neccessarily a bad thing)

I just read a couple of posts where people suggested to watch where you park your car and to never let the inmates see you come and go. Does that mean that it is somewhat common that ex jail inmates will try and stalk a nurse? Please share your stories if you know anybody that this happened to or if it happened to you.

And by taking a job in the correctional setting aren't you putting yourself at a higher risk of becoming a crime victim? What do you do to stay safe?

I would love to hear everyones point of view on this!

Thanks in advance!!

[uraqt2]

Do I feel threatened working in a prison-----ABSOLUTLY NOT!!! I feel safer inside at work than I would walking down the streets of any city. In prison you have officers who are there to protect staff (yes their are a few who would turn their back on you) and would put themselves before you. I do agree that staff seems to be the biggest threat of all and I've yet to figure that out. It makes sence that if everyone would just follow the rules and be on the same page that there would be little conflict----BUT it doesn't work that way.:argue:

[nancykday]

Not paranoid, but very cautious. No longer naive. I have worked in corrections for 10 years, love it and have never felt unsafe at work... unlike the hospital were you could be sexually harassed by patients w/o reccourse. Kicked in the face at a hospital; strangled by a patient in ICU who was going throug DT's and noone around to help. I will take corrections anyday. As far a fear for my license; if you know any follow the policies and proceedures of the DOC you are safe from lawsuit. good assesment skills and excellent documentation are necessary also.

[bighousenurse]

you learn security, security, security when you work in a prison and yes, it does carry over into your "real life" when you leave to go home. it's not a bad idea, actually. you tend to look at people on the street in a different way. i probably will never in the rest of my life lock my keys in the car, because of the priority placed on securing keys issued to me when i go into the prison to work. self defense classes have made me more confident, i always scan the parking lots when i go to get into my car. be careful of what you post about yourself on the internet, inmates are constantly being released and they love to surf the net looking for links to their past life in prison...this includes the nurses they had fantasies about, lustful or otherwise. remember to be firm with them, but don't go out of your way showing your authority. a smile or a kudos for something they've done right isn't against policy either. remember, even if they are a "lifer", they have friends on the "outside" and friends on the "inside" that will eventually be getting out. just a few things for you to think about.