do the correctionals hire new grads?

Specialties Correctional

Published

its really tough to get in in a hospital so maybe ill try to be a nurse in the correctionals?

hi folks, new grad here...last week! have just gone through my intake paperwork and training....yesterday! i will be working in a correction unit out in west texas. i am really excited, and glad i have read the posts, being fore warned is fore armed? i am hopeful that the experiance i gain from this will really help me towards my RN and wanting someday to get into an ER unit. so in answer to the main question...yep they hire new grads... mark

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More and more prisons are hiring new grads. Be careful to look for a large well-run operation so you have plenty of resources. Don't only ask about security, take a tour and note whether there is custody presence in the healthcare unit. Also, ask to interview staff. Select a facility that has what you need to succeed. Good luck to you - many nurses love corrections

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tirzo13 this question is for you...

I'm a new grad RN and I currently work at ASH so I am very familiar with the things that go on at the state hospitals (i've also worked at Metro) and I had been a Psych Tech for 7 years. I am considering a move to the bay area and thought Napa would be a good transition facility until I can find a real hospital nursing job. My question are:

1. Would you recomend working there?

2. How were your coworkers, easy to get along with?

3. Is Napa an all male facility?

4. Is it easy to enjoy San Francisco while living in Napa or any of the surrounding neighborhoods?

5. Overall did you have a positive experience working there?

Any insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated!!! :D

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1. Would you recomend working there?

2. How were your coworkers, easy to get along with?

3. Is Napa an all male facility?

4. Is it easy to enjoy San Francisco while living in Napa or any of the surrounding neighborhoods?

5. Overall did you have a positive experience working there?

1. yes, its less like a prison. yeah, i know they want us to say its a mental hospital. but they are all prisoners, they all have a p.c. I worked for a little bit at ASH. The thing about ASH is they seem to have the ability to move your shifts and days off. I never heard of that happening at NSH. Much better place to work. It does not feel like a prison, since an outdoor campus. You get to use your cell phone if that matters to you. People talk on the phone all the time.

2. got along with everyone.

3. Napa is coed.

4. about a hour to SF.

5. yes, but i wanted to go to grad school, so i quit. I also think they are getting rid of 12 hour shifts which is a bummer.

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aec rn bsn...

My time spent at MSH was horrible. I worked with the adolescent girls and at the time I was really close to their age and they had real issues seeing me as an athorative figure. Like you, we had made several trips to San Luis Obispo (for mini vacations and weekend getaways) and thought it was beatiful. When we discovered there was a state hospital we applied and were hired within three months, that was 7 years ago. The reality didn't hit until monthes later when we realized that yes it's a beatiful area but its definitely not the "city" or anything close. We still enjoy going out and being social and enjoying a variety of resturants... you won't find that here. Also, SLO is a college town so you get entertainment that caters to that crowd. However, people often say that its a great place to live if your raising a family because it is safe and has a small town feel. There is lots of outdoors stuff to do like hiking and biking and you can get to the beach within 20 min from any of the surrounding areas.

As far as info about ASH... its all male and is maxium security for MDOs. They use to house SVPs but their all at Colinga now. There is one sallyport in and out for all employees, no cell phones or other contraband allowed inside. The staff are friendly and overall i guess i would have to say its not a bad place to work.

I hope this helps and if you have any more questions let me know. :D

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tirzo13 ... Thanks!! That was very helpfull.

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There is alot to like about SLO.

All the things that make it great as a small town, well being a small town there are things to not like.

Really did not care for ASH.

In my ideal world San Diego would be half the size it is, and they had a place like NSH or Yountvilles Veteran Home.

ANyway, Napa is a good place to work and a nice community.

Its good size, so there are things to do, and its not 4 hours away from a city like SLO is.

As long as you stay away from Vallejo you are fine.

The cost of living is actually a bit less then SLO.

you can find a good house in American Canyon for less then 200K, stay away from Vallejo, but in Vallejo you can find houses for 5ok, that should tell you about Vallejo, yeah there are 800k houses in Vallejo, but its still Vallejo.

Go for American Canyon>Napa> YOuntville.

If you want to drive about 35 minutes head out to Sonoma.

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Yes, there are good things about SLO... I guess it just depends on what kind of lifestyle your looking for. I need to be in the city so SLO isn't for me. :D

What is wrong with living in Vallejo? :confused: It semed like a good city that is right between NSH and SF?? Do you recommend any areas closer to SF? I'm not looking to buy just rent for now. I would prefer a newer upscaled area that is safe.

Thanks!!

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Congratulations New Graduate Nurse,

I am not a correctional nurse but like several of the others I think that a good year of hospital experience would be necessary for correctional nursing. I have read many of the postings and it seems like correctional nursing is a very autonomous nursing job much like school nursing. It also sounds like it can be intimidating at times. That is why I believe a good year of assessments and working on building confidence in a hospital environment would be essential. Good Luck to you.

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Specializes in ER- Correctional.
I am an RN in a county jail and I would never use the word "relaxed" to describe my job.

We assess, triage, and treat inmates; while at the same time we must consider the inmate's motives, mental health, addictions, legal problems, and our own safety!!

We are the first to deal with any medical complaint from an inmate!

We are Mental Health, E.R., Med.-Surg., and Community Health nurses all roled up into one.

We do not have the luxury of an M.D. on duty 24/7 to make crucial life or death decisions!

We decide if an imate must be sent out for emergency medical service and then we must be ready to explain or defend every step of our decision making process.

We deal with inmates who will lie, cheat, and manipulate, just to break up the monotony of their own day.

We must also police the inmates so they don't "cheek" their meds in order to stockpile or use as currency.

We have inmates who never have or never would take a pill, but because they are now in jail and "entitled to health care" will take advantage of every free handout they can get.

This is not a "relaxed" nursing job! This is a fast paced and demanding job which requires you to utilize all of your nursing skills while working autonomously!

I think you pretty well hit the nail on the head!....

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I tried to hire a 6 mo nurse...will NEVER do it again...3 years minimum unless ER, then MAYBE 2 years!

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Specializes in corrections.

I just got hired per diem at a jail in New Jersey and I graduated in May

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