My unit is changing to a sex offender unit

seasidesoul · Jul 14, 2015

How could they not train staff?? That is a giant red flag to me...

RNcali22 · Jul 14, 2015

I would request to be transferred and quick! For me and I have always known this that I cannot work with that particular population. That is my wall and I feel no need to climb it at all. If I know they are sex offenders I can't provide them the empathy that I feel my patients deserve.

Jules A, MSN · Jul 14, 2015

Cool! I have worked extensively with this population and don't find them all that bad. While I truly believe science has shown there is almost no chance of rehabilitation for people who have their wiring so crossed the things I remember is that:

1. Every day they are locked on your unit is a day they won't be assaulting an innocent victim

2. Coping skills or strategies you can teach them might possibly reduce the chance of them re-offending-try DBT skills?

3. They are usually, not always, the result of a horribly traumatic childhood

The good news is that most of them are so antisocial that they go out of their way to be charming in a totally transparent manipulative way. I personally find them way easier to deal with than the borderline population.

adnrnstudent, ASN, RN · Jul 16, 2015

I don't get it. We get patients that are registered sex offenders all the time. Particularly the ones that come from group homes. What is different about a "Sex Offender Unit".

The registered sex offenders we get are no different than any old patient and in most cases they are better.

I can't ever remember a time in 3 years now that they've been SAO.

They've been better than most of the phony schizophrenics I get that are just there to stay on their welfare checks. They are the worst. Want you to kiss their tushes.

Davey Do · Jul 17, 2015

Thank you mercuryrising for bringing up this topic. I have no real experience in dealing with sex offenders. The label has always been a sort of sideline thing with the Patients I've cared for. You know- I've heard it in report, they have a P.O, on Police hold, etc, but never have directly dealt with the problem.

Cool! I have worked extensively with this population and don't find them all that bad.

You have positive take on this population, Jules. Thanks for your input!

I would request to be transferred and quick!

It's a good thing to know your limitations, RNcali. Unexamined biases can be detrimental in our work.

If we can't strive to be non-judgemental and objective in providing care for those we serve, Patient care suffers.

Farawyn · Jul 17, 2015

I couldn't do it. Kudos to you, Jules, seriously!

Jules A, MSN · Jul 17, 2015

I couldn't do it. Kudos to you, Jules, seriously!

Somebodys got to do it right? Lol, omg now I sound like the codependent nurses and therapists who I avoid like the plague.

Like someone else mentioned they are among us anyway. On the regular acute inpatient units I work now there is almost always at least 1 or 2 patients with a history of a sex offense. I definitely do some dissociating and avoid really getting to into the narrative part of the charts. I can get the gist of the offense and adequately treat the patient without subjecting myself to the sordid details.

Animal abusers and sex offenders horrify me on a personal level but since they still require nursing care I attempt to rationalize it by believing that no one would actually do something like that if there was any way they could help themselves. I mean seriously who would do that? There is something horribly wrong, not that it can be fixed or they should ever be roaming loose in society again, but we are seeing a severe aberration and in that tiny respect I feel a slight bit of sympathy for them: note not empathy.

nynursey_ · Jul 17, 2015

I assisted in coding a sex offender. It was traumatizing. As someone who was sexually abused as a child, the memory sticks with me every single day, and I can't seem to shake it.

Kudos to anyone who can/does work well with this population.

Farawyn · Jul 18, 2015

I assisted in coding a sex offender. It was traumatizing. As someone who was sexually abused as a child, the memory sticks with me every single day, and I can't seem to shake it.
Kudos to anyone who can/does work well with this population.

I'm so sorry this happened to you.

SarahMaria, MSN, RN · Aug 31, 2015

I work with sex offenders daily. Most of them are not management problems. A tip: I don't read their charts. I try to know as little about their index crime as possible unless it impacts my safety, I.e. patient targets women staff. This makes it easier to work with these guys and not be judgmental.

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Sep 10, 2015

I work with sex offenders daily. Most of them are not management problems. A tip: I don't read their charts. I try to know as little about their index crime as possible unless it impacts my safety, I.e. patient targets women staff. This makes it easier to work with these guys and not be judgmental.

I worked psych and loved it. Only after working there several months did I learn that many of our pts were past sex offenders--some even d/t pedophilia. I'm so glad i didn't know their history when starting to work with them.

They were not sexually aggressive, nor were they assaultive.

My clients typically had dx of schizophrenia plus the history of assault. The sexual assaults were r/t schizophrenia.

I hope it works out for u and your coworkers in a positive manner.

If it matters, I worked with many clients with criminal histories while working psych and I was never assaulted or even treated abusively. I was yelled at (by ladies with BPD) A lady yelled at me about my boobs. Some male clients flirted, but were easily put in their place. A man grabbed my hand and wouldn't let go, but that's about it.