Does size matter.

nancykday · Sep 10, 2007

I am about to go to nursing school and I am just looking around at my options. I live in Fl, does anyone know if corrections hires LPNs in the Jacksonville area? Also, I am a very petite person. 5 foot, 120 lbs. My husband thinks they wont hire me anyway because my size would be a danger to me. Do you know if that is true? I dont know much about this area of nursing. Thanks for any help!

At least in Pa, the DOC doesn't have a size requirement you only have to be 21 y/o. If you check your state civil service website or the Florida DOC website, you should be able to to what vacancies.

texascowgirl · Sep 10, 2007

your husband is SO wrong....first of all, you are there to be a nurse, not a corrections officer. plus, it doesnt matter whether you are 6ft tall and 300 lbs or a petite thang, there are many convicts who aint skeered. if they are going to assault, they are going to assault, but let me tell ya, i have worked in corrections in two states for many years and have only had ONE incident where a convict/offender attempted to attack me (fake malingering postictal state on the guerney, suddenly lunged at me when CO left me to go help another CO to head count on the flat-top. big mistake on the CO's part)...but i have had enough experience to know, never, ever leave yourself in the corner, always be the one closest to the door. it saved my life.

most correctional nurse jobs are so hard to fill, they just want to make sure you are breathing and have a pulse.

i have been at more risk working ER's...believe me! and i dont have a CO at the side of my patients. i am on my own.

I am about to go to nursing school and I am just looking around at my options. I live in Fl, does anyone know if corrections hires LPNs in the Jacksonville area? Also, I am a very petite person. 5 foot, 120 lbs. My husband thinks they wont hire me anyway because my size would be a danger to me. Do you know if that is true? I dont know much about this area of nursing. Thanks for any help!

njbikernurse · Sep 10, 2007

I'm pretty small myself, just under 5 feet tall, and about 120 lbs. Nobody thought twice about hiring me! It's pretty funny standing next to a 6"4" inmate who weighs about 300 pounds, especially when I'm taking a B/P and can barely see the gauge! Some of them have actually crouched down to help me see it. Seriously, size doesn't matter. There's always a C/O right there who's a lot bigger than me.

JailRN · Sep 30, 2007

Ah, don't worry. I'm 5'4", 110# AND 54 years old!!

With a problematic IM,in a very quiet voice, I tell them, "don't let my size or my age fool you, because I will stomp you into the ground and mail whatever is left, home to your Mamma in a small envelope. Now, sit down." :smiley_ab

Then I smile. Now, I've confused them. They aren't sure if I'm crazy or capable.

(Plus, I always have with me a jailer who carries a taser and pepper spray.) :lol2:

Seriously, tell your husband not to worry. You actually will be safer there than in the outside world of nursing, where patients are up front and close to you, and can and do attack you.

Good luck!!!!

bollweevil · Apr 11, 2008

Ah, don't worry. I'm 5'4", 110# AND 54 years old!!
With a problematic IM,in a very quiet voice, I tell them, "don't let my size or my age fool you, because I will stomp you into the ground and mail whatever is left, home to your Mamma in a small envelope. Now, sit down." :smiley_ab
Then I smile. Now, I've confused them. They aren't sure if I'm crazy or capable.
(Plus, I always have with me a jailer who carries a taser and pepper spray.)
Seriously, tell your husband not to worry. You actually will be safer there than in the outside world of nursing, where patients are up front and close to you, and can and do attack you.
Good luck!!!!

ROFLMBO I used to tell them stuff like that. Sometimes I'd be nice and say, "Listen, I'm the best friend you have in here so be nice and let me try to help you." That usually worked, too. :lol2: :yeah: :up: :heartbeat:clown: Of course, I never left the clinic without my big, strong sworn escort(s).

marina17 · Apr 11, 2008

Ah, don't worry. I'm 5'4", 110# AND 54 years old!!
With a problematic IM,in a very quiet voice, I tell them, "don't let my size or my age fool you, because I will stomp you into the ground and mail whatever is left, home to your Mamma in a small envelope. Now, sit down." :smiley_ab
Then I smile. Now, I've confused them. They aren't sure if I'm crazy or capable.
(Plus, I always have with me a jailer who carries a taser and pepper spray.)
Seriously, tell your husband not to worry. You actually will be safer there than in the outside world of nursing, where patients are up front and close to you, and can and do attack you.
Good luck!!!!

:yeah:that was sooo funny but true:)

Steristripqueen · Apr 11, 2008

JailRN... can I please quote you when I'm doing sick call on Monday? :lol2:

With a problematic IM,in a very quiet voice, I tell them, "don't let my size or my age fool you, because I will stomp you into the ground and mail whatever is left, home to your Mamma in a small envelope. Now, sit down:bowingpur You made my day!

Seriously as the others have said size does not matter. Heck I have worked with some of the thinnest female CO's and they do just fine with the inmates. I think we all carry ourselves with confidence and that is what the inmates see.

Foxy78 · Apr 12, 2008

I watched a national geo program (believe it was called 'Lockdown') and one of the guards at the supermax facility was 5'2" and female. I think that was one of the things that really made me finally say "I can do corrections". Because if she can do her job and not be intimidated, then so can i!

Foxy78 · Apr 12, 2008

BTW I'm 6'2", 250 lbs, mostly muscle. Went for my 1st interview at a maximum facility the other day. The DON walked me into one of the blocks, I think just to test my reaction. The inmates had their little mirrors through the bars to see who was coming. When we got back into the hallway, he said "Gee, thats the first time I've walked anyone in there and they haven't shouted something at them".

Then when I met the infection control nurse, he gripped my hand tight and said "big guy, alright, when ya starting?" Funny, seems like everyone I met had this attitude of 'he's big, hire him!'

Not going to let my size make me overconfident though, believe me, not for a second. Like someone above said, inmates are likely to attack ANYone, regardless of size, age, physical characteristics, etc. and they aren't afraid to do it. In fact, I think some of them go after the bigger targets on purpose because it boosts their status more among their peers.

Overall, i think mental toughness will get you much farther than size and physical features