Can nurses who work in jail make good ER nurses?

Specialties Emergency

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Specializes in ICU, hospice, MS/tele, ED, corrections.

Hello,

I want to work in the ER. I mostly have hospice and prison experience. I started as a CNA then LPN then became RN. As an LPN in my state, there aren't too many opportunities and I was never interested in LTC, so when I became an RN my main experience was corrections and hospice (in-patient and home hospice).

Anyways, I am trying to gain the appropriate experience to be a strong ER nurse candidate. My most recent experience is in inpatient hospice, and it seems it is limiting my options. I have applied for medsurg, intermediate care, ER, and ICU jobs. Really just applying for every type of bedside hospital job I can find. I have had some interviews that were/seemed very positive, but things just aren't moving along. I am working now in hospice, but hours have been scarce because our census has been low, so I am getting to the point where I can't hold out much longer.

I have signed up for a couple of agencies; one has an assignment that I can start very soon in the county jail. I live in Albuquerque so it's bound to be lively. I do have a passion for working with marginalized individuals, and I am very good in a crisis. I guess I am wondering, is it a smart move to take the jail nurse contract, I mean will ER Nurse Managers see jail nursing as valuable experience? I am just kindof discouraged, and I don't have time on my side, financially. Of course, I will seek out other experience; perhaps being signed up with a couple agencies, I can get some medsurg or more acute experience.

I appreciate any feedback anyone might have. ?

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On 9/25/2019 at 1:40 AM, Granuaile said:

I guess I am wondering, is it a smart move to take the jail nurse contract, I mean will ER Nurse Managers see jail nursing as valuable experience? I am just kindof discouraged, and I don't have time on my side, financially. Of course, I will seek out other experience; perhaps being signed up with a couple agencies, I can get some medsurg or more acute experience.

I can't answer your question about how experience in corrections would be perceived - but you can always positively present the areas where nursing skills/expertise might overlap between the two or be useful for both/either.

Are you looking for work in any smaller hospitals? I don't know but maybe you need to. Nurses without acute care experience are a dime a dozen for huge hospital corporations, especially their main campuses, and they are in a position to be extremely choosy.

Regarding getting acute care work through an agency with no acute care experience - that may not be possible or if it is in very well may not be wise. Maybe someone else will chime in about the feasibilty of that. I think you need to hit up smaller places that can use your help and really sell yourself; your nursing strengths, your general ability, a positive attitude, and your willingness to work very hard to learn.

Best of luck!

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Hi, i agree with JKL33 in suggesting you search in small hospitals, highlight similarities between specialties and look further out from your area.

In many ways, corrections nursing is emergency nursing. The beatings, stabbings and heart attacks come straight to you, sometimes with no doctor on the compound. Add to that the lack of fancy equipment, and you really can link your critical thinking skills to those needed in the ER.

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Specializes in ICU, hospice, MS/tele, ED, corrections.
On 9/26/2019 at 7:48 AM, JKL33 said:

I can't answer your question about how experience in corrections would be perceived - but you can always positively present the areas where nursing skills/expertise might overlap between the two or be useful for both/either.

Are you looking for work in any smaller hospitals? I don't know but maybe you need to. Nurses without acute care experience are a dime a dozen for huge hospital corporations, especially their main campuses, and they are in a position to be extremely choosy.

Regarding getting acute care work through an agency with no acute care experience - that may not be possible or if it is in very well may not be wise. Maybe someone else will chime in about the feasibilty of that. I think you need to hit up smaller places that can use your help and really sell yourself; your nursing strengths, your general ability, a positive attitude, and your willingness to work very hard to learn.

Best of luck!

Thank you for your feedback! Yes, I have looked at smaller hospitals, but they tend to be an hour or more away, which has been the only obstacle. I have good news though, I may be able to work on a progressive care unit, and will find out by Monday, (I guess it's similar to a step down unit?) so I am keeping my fingers crossed! I know I would learn so much!

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Home Health, Corrections, School Nurse.

Having worked in corrections I am fully aware that you need good assessment skills and the ability to respond to emergencies in a constructive manner. Those who have not worked corrections may not recognize how much of those skills you develop. The big difference between corrections and an ER though, is once you've utilized your assessment skills, there's not much left...you call 911 and hope they get there before the inmate dies. You aren't running codes (other than basic CPR) or working with the type of equipment that hospitals have, are have any familiarity with hospital procedures, etc. Anyway, good luck with the PCU!

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Specializes in ICU, hospice, MS/tele, ED, corrections.

Hello, I just wanted to provide a quick update. The advice received here was very helpful for me ☺️, and I am very grateful for it! I have been offered 2 different positions, both are similar, but at different hospitals (one is step-down, and the other is a combination of medsurg & step-down, as that hospital doesn't have a stand-alone step-down unit). One position is at a smaller hospital that is a little far away, but not as far as most of the small hospitals here. The other is in a huge, busy hospital in the downtown area. Both I'm sure would be very good opportunities. I think I might choose the job at the smaller hospital, though, as it doesn't seem like there is as much pressure to work overtime (I have another job - I don't mind working a lot, I just like variety), and more importantly, as some commenters have advised, a smaller hospital may be better for me at this point. ?

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8 hours ago, Granuaile said:

Both I'm sure would be very good opportunities. I think I might choose the job at the smaller hospital, though, as it doesn't seem like there is as much pressure to work overtime (I have another job - I don't mind working a lot, I just like variety), and more importantly, as some commenters have advised, a smaller hospital may be better for me at this point. ?

Hey, that's great!

Just wanted to clarify that primarily I meant the smaller hospital suggestion just as a means of branching out in hopes of getting your foot in the door somewhere. Now that you have offers, consider them both! Make sure their expectations for orientation seem reasonable -- if you haven't worked in acute care then a few weeks isn't going to cut it even though you have RN experience, for example. Try to get a feel for whether they are making a commitment (via allowing the nurse time to organize, build, come up to speed, etc.) vs. just looking for a body. Look for supportive culture--almost above everything else. It's arguably the only thing that can make acute care do-able right now.

Good luck w/ your decision. Let us know how it works out.

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