New LPN

Specialties Correctional

Published

Specializes in Ambulatory.

Hi y'all! I'm a new LPN (graduated in August, licensed in November) in Louisiana. And I'm on the oh-so-wonderfully-fun first job hunt.

I have an interview tomorrow morning for a position at a nearby women's prison. I'm excited because I think it'd be a great start to my nursing career. I have an interest in psych nursing. (I had my sights set on starting in med surg at a local hospital, but the director chose a candidate with more experience.)

Wish me luck!

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All the best of luck!

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Specializes in Ambulatory.
All the best of luck!

Thanks, NurseShanniePants! I think the interview went well. The facility seems well managed and clean, and I could definitely see myself beginning my career there.

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Specializes in Ambulatory.

I got the job! I start on Monday, 4/15! Very excited! Any tips for a brand new LPN starting in corrections are appreciated.

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Read the book called "Games criminals play" by Bud Allen/Diana Bosto. It's a great book and can help you from making mistakes in your correctional career.

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.
I got the job! I start on Monday, 4/15! Very excited! Any tips for a brand new LPN starting in corrections are appreciated.

Familiarize yourself with your facility's policies and follow them. Do not do favors for inmates, no matter how small. That is the road to compromise. This does not mean that you cannot accommodate reasonable requests, as long as your policies allow them. Be mindful of your surroundings. Do not enter a room alone with an inmate, or turn your back on an inmate. Dispose of or secure sharps immediately after use. Keep "hands on" nursing to a minimum, and do not use terms of endearment to refer to inmates, as this can be misiniterpreted by inmates as romantic interest.

Good luck on the new job.

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Specializes in Ambulatory.

A belated thanks to y'all for the advice. I really appreciate your tips. Things are going okay thus far. I'm still adjusting to being a nurse at all much less a correctional nurse haha.

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Specializes in Ambulatory.

Okay. I need some advice.

I've been trying desperately, but I can no longer lie to myself or anyone else: I want to leave this job. :( I'm really disappointed in myself now because I am not a quitter. It's been four months, and I was ready to fly the coop at two months! Every time I have to go to work at this prison, I want to get in my truck with my partner and my cat and run away wherever we can.

I can't decide what makes me hate this job. Or if I hate this job or something about it. I know work is work--I don't mind working! But I don't have problems with the offenders. I have problems with some of the staff, security and non-security. One security team is awesome. They always help me, escort me down the tiers for pill calls, and make sure safety is key. The other team is a bit more lax. They leave me on the tiers alone because "I'm a guy," and I "can handle myself" because I'm "not a female." And I'm scared to report these officers because they could get the offenders to do something to my loved ones or me.

My manager is overdramatic (which is mostly fine) but also a bully, preaching teamwork then watching nurses drown in work while walking around with papers in her hands most of the day. The administration is told they are not to do hands-on work apparently, they are only to manage and supervise. That bothers me.

This is the first time in my life I've had health insurance and have not had to struggle financially. I'm scared to leave this job because I haven't made a year, and it's my first job. I took this job because I couldn't find anything that wasn't LTC without experience. My partner tells me that if I leave this job, he'll support my decision and money isn't everything.

I want to stay a year, but would six months look horrible on a resume? The stress and anxiety that this job is causing me has bled into my personal life. I'm scared that my passion for nursing will die if I don't get out ASAP. I'm also scared that people won't count my experience since I've heard people say corrections experience carries a stigma. I go to work and pass pills and fill out oodles of redundant paperwork.

Can I leave at six months? Should I just apply for jobs and hope someone likes me enough to say, "Work for me!" and stop holding myself hostage in a place where I'm obviously miserable? Help me someone, please!

I know that was a lot of whining. I apologize in advance. Whining aggravates me, but I have bottled this up for too long without venting to anyone but my partner. Please give me some guidance, nurses. I pass pills all day, fill out paperwork that no one ever seems to read, and I don't get to do most of the things I learned in nursing school. I don't feel challenged. (Sorry, I guess my milleneal is showing.)

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Did you leave or stay?

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