considering correctional NP job

amulam · Jan 21, 2013

I would love to hear from some correctional NPs who are willing to discuss their experiences (especially from UTMB/TDCJ). I'm not currently working in a correctional setting, but have been very interested in becoming a correctional NP for several years. I really do like my current job and I have a very supportive employer and very reliable staff. Therefore, I really don't want to change jobs unless I'm reasonably sure that I will actually like the new position.

Here are some of my questions/concerns:

- I genuinely believe that health care professionals in correctional settings should be patient advocates and should provide the best medical care possible with the limited resources available. I have spent some time with a correctional preceptor as a student, and I found that many providers and nurses seemed quite judgmental and lazy. Not getting sued seemed the main concern, and at times the documentation I have seen was downright fraudulent. It could be very frustrating to work in such a setting, and it is hard to provide good health care if one cannot rely that orders are actually getting done.

- I also have experience from the "other side" with an incarcerated family member with whom I have experienced at least one huge health care issue that plainly should never have happened and was very difficult to get resolved. This is where part of my passion for correctional health care comes from. If I go into correctional health care, I would truly want to do a good job and advocate for the inmates (at the same time I'm perfectly aware that security is a major concern, and I do respect the rules). However, I'm not sure how this would be received by coworkers, especially if they learn that I have a loved one in prison (at a different prison of course). I'm also afraid I might be perceived as being "too nice" and get taken advantage of my some inmates.

Are my concerns justified? Or does it sound like I could be good correctional NP material? If someone would like to PM me to discuss this, I'd appreciate that as well.