I have seen multiple threads of people talking about corrections nursing. They either love it or hate it, no in between. I know that adjusting to a slow, outdated system will be a huge annoyance to me. Old equipment will be another thing to adjust to. I will have to go through another orientation and probably feel like a new grad all over again.

Just wondering if I should take the risk and leave MedSurg? I am in the state of Oregon, and will be going into a men's max security state prison

How do you handle this situation, and how do you know the difference between real vs fake seizures?

I know there are different kinds of seizures. I am new to the jail population of patients and am trying to be safe with the real seizures vs the manipulators.

Thank-you so much,

Ginger

1.the work environment

2.schedules / shifts

3.nurse-to-patient ratio

4.training and orientation

5.where nurses usually live (Stockton vs nearby areas / commute)

6.autism services in the area (I have a toddler on the ASD spectrum)

Any tips, insights, or honest feedback would be greatly appreciated and would really help me and my family decide. Thank you so much in advance! ?

I'm a new grad NP and am preparing to start my first job at a county jail. I've been an RN for over six years without a single mark on my record. I've had NSO liability insurance while practicing as an RN, but am finding it difficult to find professional malpractice insurance. 

I'm fairly certain it's because of the little box each website has that asks if you practice in a correctional facility...

I get it. When I was hired I was told, "not every inmate has a doctor, but they all have a lawyer.” 

I'm waiting to hear back from NSO, but have already received automatic "we don't have any products for you" from Berxi and CM&F.

Any recommendations? Thank you!

Thank you!

A little bit about me: I’ve been a nurse for a little more than 4 years. I have worked in progressive care, ER, pediatrics, camp nursing and recently OB. I had always wanted to work in OB, but realized a year in it is not for me. Honestly, working anywhere in the hospital is not for me anymore. It felt like the same thing different night and I just didn’t feel challenged anymore. I wanted to put all of my experience into practice so I started researching different areas outside of the hospital. In one of my forensic nursing courses we discussed correctional nursing and it caught my interest. So I applied for correctional nursing positions back in June and here I am ? I did a lot of homework leading up my my interview and found Lorry Schoenly’s books about correctional nursing. That is what really solidified my decision to keep moving towards this specialty. I recommend her books if anyone has an interview coming up or is just curious about correctional nursing.

Looking forward to starting and connecting with you all! Thanks for any bits of advice or your experiences you might have for me! ?

Thanks for all the time and effort you spend helping new correctional nurses learn the ropes!

Got a question for you. When it comes to your intake nursing assessment. Do you update them as you find out they have chronic medical issues? Or develop any new medical issues? Asking because I work for a drug/ alcohol treatment facility that accepts them for our physical. Alot of times I find out they do not match what clients tell me for my intake assessment. So looking for some information from you all about how that all works.

lately our correctional staff has been extremely short. Giving us challenges during medication administration. I'm my facility were unable to give medications in the dayroom or via cell-to-cell. 
With the high volume of meds (~150 clients per nurse) the med times are very slow. 
Our facility is looking at implementing a policy to help support us when we're unable to provide meds due to corrections staffing. 
what are your currently practices if you're unable to provide meds due to staffing levels? Do you call the MD? Do you triage medication neeeds? Do you have a policy in place? 

Thanks in advance!

I graduate nursing school in a few short months and have read a lot of the threads on here. I was just curious as to how much a nurse would make in a prison? LPN vs RN and some of the responsibilites that you had. Best parts of the job? Worst parts of the job? I am just really intrigued and would loved to hear from anyone who has worked in this profession. Thank you :)

I've been an RN for about 10 years mainly working in blood/plasma donation centers. I was recently offered a position as a Correctional RN with the sheriffs department in a facility in the LA area which I should be starting within the next month or so.  

 I am a bit nervous about starting corrections since I have not been in a hospital setting since clinicals. At my current job we do a lot physical assessments, counselings, handle adverse reactions, deal with a lot of upset and sometimes aggressive donors , and completing report when something goes wrong with the donors. Based on the little information I found in my Google searches seems like these can be useful skills for corrections.  I also see that a lot new grads are being offered jobs so I am assuming they have a hefty orientation which should help me refresh some unused skills. 

Besides the excellent pay, what other perks or benefits should I expect  (if any), what should I expect as far as the job duties, work load, and what does the day to day look like?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance,

The Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN), Registered Nurse (RN), and/or the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who selects Correctional Nursing are all stepping into the very young world of Forensic Nursing.

In many facilities, Correctional Nurses face many obstacles as they try to render the best possible care they can. Often, they are working in dangerous situations with limited resources. These nurses must maintain astute abilities to remain sharp and fearless. They must stay abreast of the latest evidence-based medical care available.

Correctional Nursing Health Care Issues (not all-inclusive)

• HIV
• Hepatitis
• Cardiac disease
• Diabetes
• Sexual assault
• TB
• Mental health issues/illness
• Opioid addiction
• Juvenile health issues
• Injuries from trauma

The nurse must, as stated, remain sharp and be able to recognize a true medical issue as opposed to the inmate who is malingering in order to get attention and manipulate the situation in an attempt to fake a medical condition.  The nurse must be able to differentiate among presentations to make very quick decisions about what is occurring. Of course, the nurse has protocols to follow and at the same time, must rely on his/her diagnostic abilities.

Many nurses may feel used and manipulated as Correctional Nurses and some do not get the proper recognition they deserve as excellent Nurses who have the astute ability to handle this type of patient.

Many LPNs (and RNs, but especially the former) who work in a Correctional Facility often feel like they would not be able to secure another position in any other entity; hospitals, clinics, etc. To the contrary, the Nurse who works as a Correctional Nurse is valuable in other areas of nursing and possesses astute diagnostic skills. These Nurses should have no difficulty securing a position outside the Correctional Facility; their resumes/CVs should cover exactly the role they played, their detailed job description, etc.

It takes a very special person to render care to the correctional inmate. A person who is kind, compassionate, fearless, and stays abreast of all the policies and procedures of the facility as well as how to apply Standard of Care (SOC) and evidence-based medicine.

How Do You Become a Correctional Nurse?

• Graduate from accredited Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) nursing program
  • LPN/LVN
    • Certificate, diploma, or degree
  • RN
    • Diploma, ADN, BSN, or higher
  • NP (or other APRN)
    • MSN or higher
• Successfully pass the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN
• Possess current unencumbered RN or LPN/LVN license in U.S. state of practice

What are the Continuing Education Requirements for a Correctional Nurse?

The National Commission on Correctional Healthcare (NCCHC) offers the Certified Correctional Health Professional-RN (CCHP-RN) certification for the Registered Nurse.

Eligibility (not all-inclusive)

• Current CCHP certification
• Graduate from accredited RN nursing program
• Successfully pass NCLEX-RN
• Possess current, unencumbered RN license in U.S. state (and U.S. territories) of practice
• Two years (full-time) RN experience
• 2,000 practice hours in correctional setting within last three years
• 54 hours of continuing education in nursing (18 hours specific to correctional health care) within the last three years

Salary (2020)

$61,740 avg (Registered Nurse )

$47,363 avg (Licensed Practical Nurse )

$81,433 avg (for all 'nurses')

Hiring preferences and salaries vary by location. You can find U.S. salaries by location at indeed.com.

Resources

The following sites provide additional information and details about the Correctional Nursing specialty area to see if this might be something of interest. 

• American Correctional Association (ACA)
• International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN)

I'm a recent new graduate waiting to soon take my NCLEX. I want to build a career in forensic and/or psych nursing and looking to apply at various CA state prisons (Folsom, Mule Creek, Salinas Valley, etc..). On my research through various platforms it's hard to find recent information.

Anyone have some experience in any of these facilities?

If so,

What are your overall thoughts of working for a CA state prison or county jail?

How was your process of applying through the state/county?

Is being a male a benefit in this setting?

What are your hours like a week and OT? (8's or 12's; night shift/morning shift)

I understand prisons are a hard place to start for new grads as the learning curve is rather steep from reading old posts, any new grads experience starting out here?

If anyone has an answer or possible answers to any of these, they would be heavily appreciated.

Thanks!

I read few posts and this forum is really helpful. I am interviewing next week for federal correctional facility for RN position. I am a new grad. I will have access to the interview questions 30 minutes before oral interview that would be an hour. I do not understand how this system works. If anyone else experienced same kind of interview. There would be 3 panel members. I am really anxious. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

thank you 

Are shifts 8 or 12 hours?

Are nurses mandated to stay to fill in for a short staffing? And if working 12 hours, do you stay for 24 hours?

What departments and roles are nurses assigned to?

Are there opportunities for growth for nurses?

Is the pay above or below what nurses earn in nearby hospitals?

When should I begin applying? Does it take a while for your application to be reviewed and to be invited for an interview? 
 

If you work for NDOC, are you overall happy with where you work? What are some things you don’t like?
 

Thanks for any information you share! ?