Looks a hinderance to being hired?

[newtress]

Hi all, I had a thought a few days ago as I get closer to completing nursing school, and have an interest in correctional nursing. The need for correctional nurses is evident, but here's my question. Is there a possibility that an applicant would not be considered for hire after interview, because of the way she looks? To clarify, would an applicant who may happen to look like Heather Locklear NOT be considered because of the nature of the correctional environment and specifically the inmates behavior toward a nurse that may appear to them to look more like a model or actress, than a nurse. Odd, but curious about that. Any C-nurses who might know the scoop on this? By the way, in no way do I look like Heather Locklear!

[Sheri257]

About a year ago, we had several nurses become involved with inmates. One even had a baby!! I havent' heard of us having this problem lately, but.................

I'll admit that I've had a crush or two on some of the CO's. Especially during my first week on the job when I was feeling kinda vulnerable. It probably had more to do with the stress of the situation but, during my first lockdown there was something very attractive about big men in uniform with weapons. Of course, I kept my feelings to myself and behaved professionally at all times.

But inmates? Ugh. I just can't see the attraction. I'm sorry but, for lack of a better term ... those guys are so gross. I would NEVER risk my license for inmates.

:typing

[military spouse]

I'll admit that I've had a crush or two on some of the CO's. Especially during my first week on the job when I was feeling kinda vulnerable. It probably had more to do with the stress of the situation but, during my first lockdown there was something very attractive about big men in uniform with weapons. Of course, I kept my feelings to myself and behaved professionally at all times.

But inmates? Ugh. I just can't see the attraction. I'm sorry but, for lack of a better term ... those guys are so gross. I would NEVER risk my license for inmates.

:typing

I know!! With all of the MRSA, HIV, Hep C, and STDs we see in the prison, I can never imagine being attracted to an inmate. Many of ours seem to swing the other way when they don't have access to women. That really surprised me!

[Paul554]

Hi:

I know that this will not sit well with many out there, nor will it be PC, but I think that good looks could be considered a negative. This occurs in all areas of corrections not just nursing. There is a reason for this. The staff that make hiring decisions have to balance many considerations when hiring. One of these is the fact that inmates are far more likely to attempt to corrupt an actractive staff member than one who is more average looking. Believe me, in the institutions where I have worked, I have seen this happen. I know that that is not what should be the case but it is. After all what manager is going to hire a potential problem. So it really comes down to their perception of any potential employee in terms of how likely they would be to be corrupted by inmates.

Another problem is that some simply do not dress appropriately for the environment. I often wonder exactly what they are trying to do. Also I have seen staff, male and female, flirt with inmates in a manner that is very difficult to understand. Actually this is a huge problem at female institutions even more so than male institutions. I know that where I work we are constitantly trained to avoid this sort of situation, but still our attrition rate due to this is about 1% per year.

Just my opinion but after all if we lived in a perfect world there would be no need for jails, would there?

Paul

[newtress, LPN]

Okay, this is what I was fishing for in my original post. I still have an interest for nursing in a correctional environment, but still wondered if when an applicant gets a face to face interview, and that applicant resembles an actress, a celebrity, or imagine if you will the likeness of a Pamela Anderson. I am pushing at exageration here, but what if the applicant was perfectly qualified, an excellent and skilled nurse who did look like a Pamela Anderson. I must remind everyone that no, I do not look like an actress or a model at all. And glad that I don't. Because I still do believe that looks can be a hinderance to being hired. And in some work environments, may not be an asset to the workplace or the employee. Especially in an inmate/medical environment. Am I writing an english paper here? Sorry about that, but this is an area that was NEVER covered in nursing school. And why not? Every other socio/cultural aspect to nursing but none addressed about correctional nursing. I have a very high respect for all nurses who have chosen this field of nursing, and I was fishing out of curiosity on this subject. Paul 554 may have satisfied some of that curiosity.

[VegRN]

Hi:

I know that this will not sit well with many out there, nor will it be PC, but I think that good looks could be considered a negative. This occurs in all areas of corrections not just nursing. There is a reason for this. The staff that make hiring decisions have to balance many considerations when hiring. One of these is the fact that inmates are far more likely to attempt to corrupt an actractive staff member than one who is more average looking. Believe me, in the institutions where I have worked, I have seen this happen. I know that that is not what should be the case but it is. After all what manager is going to hire a potential problem. So it really comes down to their perception of any potential employee in terms of how likely they would be to be corrupted by inmates.

Another problem is that some simply do not dress appropriately for the environment. I often wonder exactly what they are trying to do. Also I have seen staff, male and female, flirt with inmates in a manner that is very difficult to understand. Actually this is a huge problem at female institutions even more so than male institutions. I know that where I work we are constitantly trained to avoid this sort of situation, but still our attrition rate due to this is about 1% per year.

Just my opinion but after all if we lived in a perfect world there would be no need for jails, would there?

Paul

This is not what I have seen. As one of the other posters said, while you may be average looking or even not attractive outside of the prison, you are hot stuff in the prison because inmates see so few women.

Nurses falling for inmates has very little to do with the looks of the nurse. If a nurse has poor boundaries, is easily manipulated, too trusting, that is what is going to get her in trouble.

These guys are going to try to play one over on you whether you are male or female, young or old, attractive or not attractive. Whether they are looking for a "relationship", drugs, money, special privileges or something else, no one is immune. We all have to be aware of the manipulation of inmates and stop it right when they try to start it.

And because of the nursing shortage, I doubt an institution would turn away a qualified employee simply because she was attractive. Dressing professionally, having good boundaries, and not being afraid to say "no" are far bigger deals than a candidate being "too attractive"

[Sheri257]

And because of the nursing shortage, I doubt an institution would turn away a qualified employee simply because she was attractive. Dressing professionally, having good boundaries, and not being afraid to say "no" are far bigger deals than a candidate being "too attractive"

I agree. We have lots of good looking nurse at my facility so, obviously, they don't care about that.

What they do care about is hiring nurses who don't get freaked out by the corrections environment because some of them end up not being able to handle it ... (although I'm not sure why because, IMO, this particular prison is MUCH safer than the one I previously worked at ... for one thing there are tons of CO's everywhere and the inmates are always handcuffed and shackled).

They also want nurses to be team players. There's so much work to be done, they don't want nurses complaining about being floated to different areas where they are needed. Afterall ... this facility pays nurses really well so, they don't have much tolerance for primma donnas.

In other words ... they're like any employer. Their top priority is finding good employees who will get the work done without complaint, plain and simple.

I'd say looks are probably the last thing on their list of things they worry about. Besides ... every inmate is accompanied by not just one but TWO CO's ... not to mention there's always tons of other people around so ... the opportunity to get involved with any inmate is pretty limited for most nurses at my facility.

:typing