Contract to corrections?

Specialties Correctional

Published

Hi all. I'm in a quandary and since there's a bounty of knowledgeable intelligent folks on this board, I thought I'd ask the question that's been asked time and again I'm sure.

Recently I put my resume up online with Monster and Career Builder. In the meanwhile I've been working with an agency for the first time in my 15 year nursing career and I have to say I love it. However, as anyone who has done agency knows, unless you are contract it is not the most stable income around.

I was called out of the blue a couple of weeks ago from a recruiter with a different agency wanting to contract me out for a corrections job. I've never entertained any idea of wanting to be a corrections nurse before but it is contract and therefore stable with a portion of my earnings (the per diem travel portion) being tax free which sounds appealing to me. It also has some bennies such as 401k and health insurance which most agencies don't have.

As far as I know it is a prison job as opposed to a county jail. It is in Dallas but I don't even know the name of it. I'm just trying to make some decision and I know absolutely nothing about this type of work. I have been reading this board and I like that several posts keep mentioning autonomy. I like to work at my own pace and not have someone following me and watching me constantly and telling me how to manage my time. I should also mention that I worked outpatient psych for four years so I have had some contact with "interesting and colorful characters" before.

I would be working 3-12 hr days a week for 13 weeks with option to renew as I understand. It's 90 miles from my home so that qualifies me as a traveler at this company so I get extra money or I can choose housing but I imagine I will just stay at Motel 6 a couple of nights a week and then come home.

However what if I hate it? Then I'm stuck with it for 13 weeks??

I guess I just wanted to get some feedback from someone other than my family. Hubby is money hungry and would sell me into slavery if he thought he could get away with it. Daughters are completely against it because they don't get along so hot with their dad. He's not nice like Mommy is.

I can stay with my agency I'm with now and get to work every now and then. Some weeks they want me every day and some weeks not at all but I get to be home every night. I have a 14 year old daughter and husband at home. Also a new grandbaby and a 20 year old daughter just down the road that I currently get to see every day. OR I can take this contract and be guaranteed hours and extras but go into something I know nothing about and be away from my family for a few days a week.

I want it all. You know? I want to be home every night but be guaranteed the hours and it just isn't happening. With Christmas coming and bills bills bills I just don't know what to do. I think, just in writing this, I know what I want but I'm still gonna throw it out there and see what comes back to me.

Thanks for any advice from you guys. This forum seems to be a great place! I wish I'd found it years ago.

DJ

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Specializes in ER, PACU, CORRECTIONAL HEALTH, FLIGHT.

wow i bet i know which facility it is. am surprised/shocked that they contracted out to a travel agency. this just never happens in TDC units! they have got to be desperate. then again, that unit has had an open posting on the UTMB site since July!!

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wow i bet i know which facility it is. am surprised/shocked that they contracted out to a travel agency. this just never happens in TDC units! they have got to be desperate. then again, that unit has had an open posting on the UTMB site since July!!

So clarify for me....is this a nightmare? I am perfectly happy with being a little unstable financially rather than being completely unhappy with my job. PM me if you have any details which can't be shared here. And yes the recruiter said it's a brand new contract.

DJ

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Specializes in ER, PACU, CORRECTIONAL HEALTH, FLIGHT.

well first i have to confirm which unit it is. is it the one in Venus? it would be called Estes State Jail.

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