Cute Tiny Blonde Girl

Specialties Correctional

Published

I have been looking into all aspects of nursing, and I have been told I could not work (or it wasn't a good idea) in a correctional facility as a "cute tiny 5'1 blonde girl" (LOL) What are your guy's thoughts? I think I could be a great nurse, I am tiny, but I also don't take any **** from mean/rude/manipulative people. So I personally thought id be good, but maybe not?

Thanks for your thoughts and opinions! (:

I have to agree with the others - just focus on school and the rest will work itself out.

I *wanted* NICU or PICU as a student and new grad. I ended up on an adult neurology/neurosurgery floor with a mix of stepdown and floor acuity patients (plus being a telemetry unit we got some of everything - renal, cardiac, general medicine, endocrine, etc). I learned a lot in a year, but didn't love it. Looking for a job at that time is why I found the job I have now. I work in the OR. Never really thought I *wanted* to be in the OR as a student (though my observations in the OR definitely made me interested in it).

My general feeling is that things will work out however they're supposed to. No reason you can't do a mix of all those specialties in your career if you really want to do all those things. You may end up somewhere else that you didn't really give all that much thought to before ending up there. I did. It's also how I figured out what I really wanted to apply for when I applied to grad school - as a BSN student and then as a new grad nurse, I thought it would be something other than what I chose when I applied this year. If you told me, 5 years ago, in my last two quarters of undergrad I would have applied for what I applied for this winter when I applied for admission to grad school I would have laughed at you.

There is nothing wrong with corrections, nor OB, NICU or ER. There are so many "flavors" of nursing and it takes all of us to care for all of our patients.

I worked in a state hospital that handled nearly all the medical/surgical care inmates got in that state - and they had their own prison unit. I was an assistant and got floated to the prison unit frequently. Inmates were sent to other units as needed and generally 1:1 with a Dept of Corrections officer (some of the serious offenders got 2 officers). It was nice because *most* of the officers assigned to inmates as inpatients were detailed to the hospital. Occasionally we had inmates transported in and they couldn't re-arrange hospital assigned corrections officers for coverage so the officers who were involved in the inmate's transport had to stay until next shift. Where I work now, we have a high volume of state and federal inmates as patients. The federal system sends primarily the same officers, we don't get crap from them about policies. The state doesn't - and so we have to explain things more, and they test us more about policies etc.

I will say - especially working in the hospital with a prison unit - we got far more crap from the officers than the inmates. Word would get back to their assigned institution if they acted out at hospital staff...and the hospital was seen as a "break" (almost a perk for lack of a better explanation). Obviously this is hospital based care of inmates...but still. It's true now too - I get more crap, more bad behavior from the officers than inmates. Just my experience and $0.02.

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I sure am! All aspects of nursing! Don't mind me just going to go ahead and become an Emergency OB/NICU nurse working in a correctional facility might as well specialize in 4 different areas. ;)

I worked with lots of very pretty and small women in the jails. As long as you follow the rules - have a CO with you at all times, be courteous but not overly friendly - you should be ok.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I think the problem most of us have is the tone of this post. You haven't even started your nursing school career yet & you have such an attitude.

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I am tiny and have been blonde once upon a time, never cute though. I think that is why I have been successful in corrections. Had I been cute, it would have been a disaster.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
I am tiny and have been blonde once upon a time, never cute though. I think that is why I have been successful in corrections. Had I been cute, it would have been a disaster.

Lol. Awwwww! [emoji174]

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Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.

I agree with those that have said nursing school will give you a bit more of an idea of what might suit you specialty wise.

Regarding looks, I've found attitude and demeanor matters far more than looks. What matters is what's inside of you, passion, wisdom and what you can bring to the profession.

It's about SOUL.

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Thanks for all your responses! and organizedchaos LOL i'm sorry if I came off as having an attitude, I try to add smileys, sarcasm, and say thank you to prevent that. May I ask why you think that? I didn't know I was coming off that way. I know I haven't started yet, but I still like to express what I would enjoy specializing in lol doesn't mean i'm going to, id just like to as of now. (:

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I am tiny and have been blonde once upon a time, never cute though. I think that is why I have been successful in corrections. Had I been cute, it would have been a disaster.

I'm sensing a little bit of sarcasm haha

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You're right, I am totally cute:)

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Your attitude and professionalism will matter more than your size.

Thanks not what "she said" ;) hahahahaha

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Thanks not what "she said" ;) hahahahaha

It never ends with you, does it? :)

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It never ends with you, does it? :)

Who me? I don't know what you're talking about :) hahahahahahah

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