what to expect as a correctional nurse?

[wcelpn]

Hello,

i have an interview on thursday at a correctional facility in phila. (woman facility) what should i do to enhance my interviewing skills? what should i expect the interviewer to ask? what would my responsibilities be? do anyone know how much is offered as an LPN in an correctional facility in phila? do i need to go over my math skills. please help!!

[jamangel]

you will probably have to give meds and assist with sick call.

[pendita]

you will probably have to give meds and assist with sick call.

I think you will need to be able to demonstrate assessment skills

pendita

[jamangel]

it depends on where you work. Anyway, Assessment is a biggie in any area of nursing. It's the first thing you have to do with any patient. Since the obvious is out of the way, I have worked places where I only gave meds (because there were so many-roughly 300+) and someone else did emergencies and dressing changes and in medical and intakes while I did gen pop med pass. Some places use only a RN for certain duties. I've done intake and meds in jails and meds and intake in prisons. Sometimes both and sometimes I had one duty only. I live in Georgia, so we have a medical prison where all inmates with more acute problems go and the rest is just general nursing-meds, dressings,d/c etc.

[pendita]

What is the difference between a jail and a prison? we call all correctional facilities prisons.

Obviously prison nursing is slightly different in the USA . I said assessment skills are especially important because where I am we often work without a Dr on site and need to make decisions and a possible diagnosis only with our nursing collegues

RN's do all nursing related work here. For example this am shift I handed out about 50 medications, saw prisoners for dressings helped with a DR clinic assessed 2 new prisoners and tried to write careplans for some complicated cases in the 60 bed unit I look after and also had a major emergency.

[jamangel]

there is a difference between jail and prison here. A jail is where you wait to be found innocent or guilty AND where you go to wait to see a judge after being picked up for misdemeanors such as unpaid parking tickets, not appearing for a bench warrant, disorderly conduct etc. Prison is where you go once found guilty and where you're sentenced to go.

Depending on where you live (even in the states) it can be different what you're housed for. I only have experience in Georgia. All correctional facilities are not prisons here. AM I being technical? maybe. Did I offend you? Maybe. If I did, I apologize and I'm also moving on. I don't get offended by what's written because you can't tell how someone is feeling when they're typing on a keyboard. It can be taken either way.