Correctional Nursing Salary

Specialties Correctional

Published

Hey Everyone,

Does anybody know the average salary for a corrections nurse and/or how it compares to hospital pay. Also, do you usually need a certain amount of RN experience? I've been an RN for about 5 months now and working in a hospital setting and I absolutley hate it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

I work for CMS in Arkansas and the salary is low compared to hospitals. I have been working in a male prison for the last 5 months and while there are things I enjoy I am having a hard time dealing with my co-workers. CMS tends to hire more LPN's than RN's. I have a BSN. All of the nursing special jobs like infection control, greivances and chronic care positions are run by LPN's. I am working PRN right now and am desparately trying to get benefits. Management is dragging their feet on getting them for me. I can understand that you have to be careful around prisoners but most of my coworkers are so mean to them. The other day when I was doing pill call a prisoner started to ask me a question about a rash on his arm and 2 nurses that were with me tore into him. They had alot of venom in their speech - one of them ordered him away from the window before he even got his morning meds. I thought it was uncalled for. You have to be firm with them but you don't have to tear their heads off when they respectfully ask you a question.

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How much mandatory ot is required at the facility your working. Are the medical records electronic. The upgrade to an EMR has been sloww to non exsistant wher I currently wrk

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Corrections.
bsweilrn said:
I left staff nursing in Major ER/trauma center to go to corrections.

I have been here ~9mo, and make ~50K annually. I have 15 yrs of experience, and a BSN.

The pay is ~2K less base pay than hospital, but good differentials and vacation time.

Also the pace is much slower. (I am at work now)

But RN's(at least here) are treated the same as LPN's and Medical assistance with only a few exceptions.

Pretty mindless work for the pay.

You are at work now? I have not heard of a correctional facility that allows electronic gadgets or email. Big security risk, at least, they think so in New York State.

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Well I take my hat off to those nurses who work in correctional facilities all over America - particularly the maximum security prisions. You must be very tough indeed.:)

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Specializes in corrections, med-surg, critical care.

I'm in Maryland, and work for CMS. As an RN my base is 31/h, but I work evenings and make 38/h, nights is 41/h. When I worked nights at the hospital I made about 30/h. The autonomy is great, the potential to have emergency siutations is exciting, and I'm one of those that has just honed my clinical skills even more by having to draw my own blood, do my own EKGs, etc.....I hope to work here for a long time.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

This thread is so far off topic I have closed it.

It will be reopened later today after a clean up

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

This thread has been off topic for quite a while. It was started in 2006 so I've decided to leave it closed

If you want to discuss salaries can I suggest that a new thread is started

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