Correctional vs Hospital

momamma · Oct 5, 2014

I came from corrections nursing. Most facilities don't consider you as much more than a pill pusher. And correctional facilities--although they provide patient care--are not considered to deliver acute care like that of a hospital. Found that out when I took an interest in travel nursing. Work there but PRN at the hospital to keep your options open. It took hell and high water for me to get a hospital job after I worked at a prison. Plus you need med surg experience, I think, to be a good well rounded nurse.

MassRN1991 · Oct 5, 2014

Thank you for your response and honesty! Right now I believe it's a step in the right direction and I will see what happens. Getting a PRN hospital position down the line would be a great foot in the door when the time comes. Thank you again!

delphine22 · Oct 7, 2014

Working corrections is like working psych. If that's what you want to do for your career, that's wonderful, but if you decide you want to change and go to work in the hospital, it's so different from floor nursing that they basically consider you a new grad, even if you have 10+ years experience.

The previous poster's advice is solid. I'd advise doing it sooner rather than later, while your knowledge from nursing school is still fresh. Just a med-surg floor will do, but it will show you can handle hospital nursing now, in case you want to make a change later.

startofcare · Oct 8, 2014

Working corrections is like working psych. If that's what you want to do for your career, that's wonderful, but if you decide you want to change and go to work in the hospital, it's so different from floor nursing that they basically consider you a new grad, even if you have 10+ years experience.
The previous poster's advice is solid. I'd advise doing it sooner rather than later, while your knowledge from nursing school is still fresh. Just a med-surg floor will do, but it will show you can handle hospital nursing now, in case you want to make a change later.

This is the unfortunate perception by nursing recruiters.I work in a large county correctional facility, the medical housing or infirmary as its called in corrections operates in a subacute capacity. You deal with with HIV, HCV, TB post op, all day everyday, ambulatory and non ambulatory. From my experience so far is what makes the correctional medsurg appear less than an infirmary is the provider, some providers will send an inmate to the ED for anything, most of these providers are contracted. The provider who are comfortable with their environment will give an order on the spot.

Yes I am having difficulty having recruiters understand that my role is much more than pill passing.