Correctional RN job vs. ER RN job

Guttercat, ASN, RN · Nov 20, 2011

If it is so burning you out, then either cut back hours, or change specialties.

Very sad that I come across so many colleagues that would jump ship not only out of their specialty, but out of this profession altogether, if they could.

Life is a balancing game, and so is our work.

The fact that there is so little care extended to the caregiver is...Florence Nightingale's fault. :)

ChuckeRN, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2011

Why not try signing up for a registry and try working for as a CRN for a while? You may find that you like it better than a hospital ED.

Having done my preceptorship in a small ED, I'm starting to think I'd like to stay in a correctional setting. In my short time of being a correction RN, I find that I get as much or as little "emergency" type experience as I want. For example, when a call does come in for an emergency, I can choose to go, or let someone else go.

One thing I love now is that working on weekends without a doctor, I have to become exceptional at assessing the inmate so I know whether I should call a doc or not. In my prison, there are 5300 inmates and just me and one other nurse to do everything on weekends. I really like the autonomy and being able to do everything. Some people though just don't like to go on those emergency runs, and some like me do.

I think if you you worked in a Level 1 ED, you may like the more relaxed atmosphere.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 21, 2011

I know someone who was burned out by hospital nursing. So, she took a job full-time in Correctional Nursing while dropping to Per Diem in the ER. She is very happy. GL!

Wave Watcher · Nov 21, 2011

If you click under the Specialty tabs then click Nursing Specialties.....you will find a Correctional Nursing thread. I bet you could find an answer to your questions or at least ask it there also. Good luck. I work in Corrections here in FL.

Anisettes, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2011

I had a similar experience with ER burnout - eventually I ended up leaving the ER completely for the OR. Anyway, in the interim I took a job at a women's prison doing two 12's on the weekend and went to per diem in the ER.

If the ER is really getting to you, I'd take the corrections job and perhaps go to per diem and pick up a shift or two a month to keep your skills up until you decide if you really want to leave it altogether.

The pace is completely different. It usually works that inmates put in written requests to be seen listing their complaint(s). You'll triage the requests and call for the inmates one at a time to the infirmary and it will be you who performs the assessments in most cases - esp if you work weekends as there is usually no MD there then, and determine whether or not the doc needs to be called for further instruction. For the most part you work under treatment protocols that the MD will sign off on when s/he comes in.

There is a pill call a couple of times a day and inmates line up outside the window to receive maintenance medication or other prescribed meds. For inmates on lock-down you take the meds to them. Diabetic inmates will come to you for fingersticks Qwhatever. You may also have sicker inmates in the infirmary block itself that you have to monitor RTC.

It's a different atmosphere and you have a lot of autonomy. It may appeal to you and you decide to leave the ER completely, but it's not for everybody. Some people aren't comfortable with the level of autonomy and not having an MD immediately available. Plus, while you can move about more freely than the inmates, you're also locked in there and that gets some people as well. I say try it if you're interested.

lei_joshelle · Nov 21, 2011

Thank you for all your advices. I will be meeting the job coordinator this morning. Hmm, we'll see how it goes. :)