Corrections Nurses: Have You Been Hit Like This?

Nur_1996 · Dec 8, 2006

I can honestly say, if it had been me, I would leave, and NEVER come back!

RN BSN 2009 · Dec 8, 2006

Send him to the hole!

VegRN · Dec 8, 2006

Ok so I understand he had wounds that needed to cleaned and that is why he wasn't in restraints but..

He threatened the nurse 2 hours prior to this and

has a history of violence to staff

and apparently is on psych meds

Why in gods name wasn't he in some type of restraint?

If that inmate was in the prison unit in the hospital I work at, he would have been in minimum 2 point restraints. Likely 4 point with one arm taken out at a time to clean the wounds and possibly officers holding down his limb to clean the wound. This is crazy. I would never be face to face that close with an inmate with a hx like this w/o some type of restraint.

If I was that nurse, I would have requested the above. Clearly the staff were available to do this and there doesn't seem to be a reason not to do it b/c of his clear hx of violence to staff.

And I agree with the poster above . Send him to the hole asap!

NurseAngie · Dec 12, 2006

I've never been physically assaulted. We have a T.A.C.T. team that would be on that behavior faster than you can say HELP!

organic_matter · Jan 9, 2007

In the 3.5 years I've worked as a correctional nurse at Pelican Bay State Prison, which has some of the most violent and psychotic offenders in CA, I've never been attacked. I do know one nurse who I work with who has been similarly assaulted and another who had a close call at the food port.

tammyRN64 · Jan 12, 2007

After 4 1/2 years in DOC, I had one offender try to punch me in the stomach through cuff port of cell door. As I was familiar with him and his psych issues I was careful and tried to keep arms length from his reach whenever I took him meds (one who could like you one second and want to kill you the next), so he did not harm me. I stood there and looked at him while the officer with me had some words with him. Later, over the intercom I heard the other offenders on that range saying, "Tammy's got B***'s!" because I did not run away. Standing your ground yet treating them like people has worked for me over the years.

TrudyRN · Jan 15, 2007

I did corrections for a very long time - about 15 years - and never was attacked. I was as nice to the inmates as possible, often when other nurses were just so mean.

I attribute it not so much to how I was toward them, though, as to heeding my instincts. If I felt something telling me not to do this or that, not to go down that hall just now, take an extra escort, alter my routine, say this, do that, well, that's what I did. And I give God the credit. He gives His angels charge over me and I kept them pretty busy. Had I been hurt, well, I guess I'd chalk it up that up to God's will, too.

Of course, it never hurts to be decent to people because they just might return the favor when and if the chips are down, like in a riot. And you must, must, must always, without exception, follow the rules (always have an escort, never be alone with the inmates, always have a witness, that sort of stuff), and you must guard your reputation jealously, as in never do favors for the inmates. Once a nurse made a birthday cake for an inmate. She was just friendly, a very sweet, outgoing gal, and she meant absolutely nothing by it. But, oh, did the Shyt hit the fan. She was investigated totally, almost had to quit, she was so nervous.

tammyRN64 · Jan 15, 2007

Trudy,

ABSOLUTELY!!! We do keep those angels busy watchhing over us don't we? And, yes, instincts play a big part, as well as impartiality. I am fair, kind when I can be, and yes....they do take up for you when a new offender tries to be a butt toward you. They let them know NOT to mess with the ones who treat them decent. They also do not treat us as they do the officers, nor do the officers treat them as the nurses do.

One thing I try to keep in mind is, someday these guys will be back on the streets. They may be able to locate us, and if we keep it real, they are less likely to. If we are intentionally cruel, or unfair, we earn more attention than I want when they get out. My husband does not understand why I feel this way, but I don't have to watch over my shoulders like I know I would if I treated them like some do.

Overall, they give me much less trouble than they do some others. And they tend to heed my warnings of what "bad" behavior will get them if they are acting up, as well.

Tammy

njbikernurse · Jan 17, 2007

I can't imagine this happening in the county jail where I work. The C/O's are pretty in tune to who's a rotten apple, if they know some super bad dude is coming to the medical dept for treatment, I swear they scare the bejeesus out of them in the elevator, before they even get to us. And if anyone is having a total psycho flip out moment, the nurses NEVER see them to evaluate their wounds unless they are in restraints, plus they are most likely recently pepper-sprayed and half incapacitated as well, AND surrounded by about three or four officers. The last incident of a nurse getting hurt at my facility was about three years ago. I give the C/O's a lot of credit. I have never been made to feel unsafe.

JailHouseTeer · Jan 18, 2007

I have had only 1 inmate in my 19 years attempt to jump on my and if it was not for the officer he might have made it. He was then transferred to another unit where he had a cast placed on his had and he later assulted a new inmate with it it was transfer to a max unit after that

MALE*RN*777 · Jan 22, 2007

This is nothing compared to some of the things that go on in a Psych Hospital. The prisoners walk free around the room.

Sunshine22 · Jan 22, 2007

I have been doing this job for 10 years now, and was attacked by a psych i/m about 4 months ago. She was in the infirmary and I had 4 big officers with me at the time. She wiggled through them and got to me before I knew what was happening. She got several blows to the back of my head and neck and wound her hands into my shoulder length hair before they could get her off of me. I agree with the nurse in the video. I was in total shock at first, and then I was angry. I thought that I was very careful and thought my officers were too, but things can go very wrong in a split second. Needlesee to say, she got assault charges added to her existing charges, and was locked down. Can I say that this will never happen again? No, but I will try to be even more cautious from now on. This happened while we were going in to force meds for sedation. Even though this happened, I never once thought of leaving corrections. This is the best job I have ever had in nursing...just a mishap that I learned from. Be prepared!!!