corrections is fantastic!!!

Specialties Correctional

Published

Hi, I would like to comment on being in corrections as an RN. I currently work at a maximum security prison, and find the position interesting, demanding, at times chaotic, and incredibly challenging. If you are looking for an easy job, this is not it...however if you are looking for a position which will at times challenge your creativity (at times we run out of even the most basic medical supplies to provide even very basic nursing care)test your patience (inmates are without doubt an incredibly difficult population to serve) and test your ability to nurse as you were taught within the constraints of an extraordinarily restrictive environment, THIS IS THE PLACE!!! My fellow nurses that I have the good fortune to work with are a team of some of the most dedicated men and women I have ever met...not to say there are not some bad seeds..but these people get weeded out over time through natural attrition, or sometimes happenstance. I think that goes for every profession, however. DONT GIVE UP ON CORRECTIONAL NURSING AS A PROFESSION!!! It is NOT simply a place where crappy nurses look towards who are unemployable elsewhere...or are looking for an easy ride!! We work hard, and are as dedicated as a nurse in the ER or ICU!!!

Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.

It is nice to hear frorm both sides. Hearing more inforamtion fromt eh others showed that clearly any place have their bad and good sides, depending on what population you are working with. I was jsut so turned off by one of the answers of a coorectional nurse. she made it sound like you have to please the CO , you can not complain , and the slow reaction thing, was just such a turned off thing for me, and I am sure others felt this way too. that place sounded like a very unhealthy place to work. Thank you ladies for sharing your opinion.

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You are so enthusiastic! I'm a new LVN in CA and have been considering it for quite awhile. All I hear is bad stuff like riots and lockdowns. It's good to hear some people like it, do you have any advice for me?

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Thats so encouraging. Do all potential nurses need to take a polygraph test? I've done some things I'd rather not share. What about the bad sides of nursing in prisons?

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i'm not sure what the normal is regarding polygraphs since this is my first corrections job. just tell the truth and if you are worried about getting incriminated about something "horrible" that you did i would recommend thinking twice. the polygrapher told me he had a nurse confess touching a pt. inappropriately under anesthesia in PACU, needless to say that nurse got in big trouble. but orange county in orlando, fl only go back 3 years unless it was something pretty bad. the questions were broad, "have you every been arrested?" "what was the worse thing you ever did?" questions like these were asked before you get hooked up and then they were asked again.

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i'm going through the hiring process for a county correctional's rn position and having mixed feelings. i moved to be closer to my kids and grandkids and i hate my job. i feel i was mislead on this job. i was hire for a pulmonary/pcu floor and see everything from cellulitis to syncope, discharge pts during the day who were admitted at night and continue to call doctors because they did not read the labs. so when i saw a job/chance to apply and take a break from hospital nursing i applied. there must of been 80 nurses for 6 positions and i thought i would never be called. boy was i surprised. I am a male with 2 years of critical care experience, so who knows. my wife is not too happy, but i tell her i do not see 80 nurses applying for open positions on my floor. most of the nurses are miserable on my floor, there are alot of changes and not for the better. now i have about 5 phone numbers just in case other positions open up in the corrections facility. the only thing is i'm nervous about the polygraph test, i was told just tell the truth. i did some stupid stuff when i was younger. never spent a day in jail, but arrested and released. i've heard pros and cons, but i need a break from the constant phone calls, i find myself doing more nonskilled nursing then when i started nursing. well who knows, if this doesn't go well, i'm might just go back to rehab as a physical therapist assistant and pick up a couple of shifts at top dollar to make up the difference in pay. never had this much stress during rehab. my frinds say i'm might really like it because i'm not into the politics and i don't kiss ass to get the easier assignments. i do my job well and to the point, but i am looking forward in working one on one and educating pts. sometimes we do not have the time in the hospital. well i'm glad i found this thread and if anyone has suggestions i would greatly appreciate it.

good luck to you and welcome to allnurses:yeah::nurse::redpinkhe:nurse::yeah:

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Corrections.

I have been in corrections for 20 years and I love it totally, you have to mind your ps and qs and be firm, fair and consistent with the inmates and you will do well. You never know what is going to walk through the door in the next minute. You can have a fighter, or an impeding MI or anything. And you have to be able to know when they are giving you a story or if they are really in trouble. The good thing is most of the time you are not usually alone when you work with your clients and just keep your boundaries up, even more than you do workihg in any other form of nursing.

A polygraph test??? I didn't have to do that, we just had to have a physical to make sure that we were healthy enough in the job. We didn't even have to take a urine test for drugs which I though was interesting. I hope that you join the ranks of corrections nursing and you enjoy it as much as I have.

Sonya

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what i do love about corrections is that you have a schedule and you work it. not like in the hospital, if cenus is down, you're called off. there is no cleaning up poop, the orderly's does that, no family members, no doctors, and very few attitude to deal with. most inmates are happy to recieve some kind of medical care. what i love :redbeathemost about my job, getting done with my shift and knowing nobody died.:yeah:

And don't forget the nicest thing of all, NO CALL LIGHTS!! :yeah:

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update: well, i'm going into my third week and have to say correctional nursing is definately a different mind set. I'm in a county correctional facility with almost 5k i/m and from what i'm told and see working their gets better every year. i observed one day in a RN sick call clinic and have to say the setup was pretty nice. co's are present, they get a list of i/m and get them when you ask, the ARNP is present to look at pts at your request and give orders that are placed in the computer. i was pretty impressed since people's perception of working as a nurse in a corrections's facility is primitive. the pace is steady but controlled by the nurse. alot less stress than the hospital, but at the same time you have an oppurtunity to educate and perform nursing one pt at a time. i also observed in booking intake which is another different mind set. i was told this would be my primary area, what makes me nervouse is you have alot of autonomy and need to initiate alot of orders that would be cosigned by the ARNP, or followed through by mental health. what i like about this position is, you are the first line of medical eyes and have an oppurtunity to look at the whole picture once the pt is screened by ma's or have the right to tell the LEO turnaround and go to the ER. so good first initial assessments can keep the booking center smooth and calm. again so much less stress than the hospital, the flow is steady but controllable. at this time i have a good feeling about this decision and it appears there is always room to move either laterally or up in new positions. thanks for your support, i'm glad that i found this wonderful sight.

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Thanks for sharing... Glad that you really like your position... Sounds pretty good!!! keep up posted... take care...

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Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
update: well, i'm going into my third week and have to say correctional nursing is definately a different mind set. I'm in a county correctional facility with almost 5k i/m and from what i'm told and see working their gets better every year. i observed one day in a RN sick call clinic and have to say the setup was pretty nice. co's are present, they get a list of i/m and get them when you ask, the ARNP is present to look at pts at your request and give orders that are placed in the computer. i was pretty impressed since people's perception of working as a nurse in a corrections's facility is primitive. the pace is steady but controlled by the nurse. alot less stress than the hospital, but at the same time you have an oppurtunity to educate and perform nursing one pt at a time. i also observed in booking intake which is another different mind set. i was told this would be my primary area, what makes me nervouse is you have alot of autonomy and need to initiate alot of orders that would be cosigned by the ARNP, or followed through by mental health. what i like about this position is, you are the first line of medical eyes and have an oppurtunity to look at the whole picture once the pt is screened by ma's or have the right to tell the LEO turnaround and go to the ER. so good first initial assessments can keep the booking center smooth and calm. again so much less stress than the hospital, the flow is steady but controllable. at this time i have a good feeling about this decision and it appears there is always room to move either laterally or up in new positions. thanks for your support, i'm glad that i found this wonderful sight.

:D Nice to hear the good side....I guess it all depends how efficient and organize the facility is. I still could not forget that one "nurse" who sounded like the place is a kiss azz, or they would do a "slow reaction"? Was she a nurse or a patient?

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Specializes in telemetry, medsurg, homecare, psychiatry.

Hi everyone,

I have been working in an acute psychiatric hospital which includes forensics assessment and rehabilitation for 9 years, and love what I do. I have been considering returning to Florida and heard of Geo care facilities. I would love any input or advice that you could give me about working there, etc.

thanks

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Hi everyone,

I have been working in an acute psychiatric hospital which includes forensics assessment and rehabilitation for 9 years, and love what I do. I have been considering returning to Florida and heard of Geo care facilities. I would love any input or advice that you could give me about working there, etc.

thanks

Hello:

perhaps you could post on the FLORIDA site.... YOU might get some help.. good luck:saint::redpinkhe:saint:

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