New Corrections Nurse

[onepowerfullady, LPN]

I am writing this because I needed to vent. I have only had my license for about a month and I have only been working my job for 2 days. I got stuck with over 200 clients (inmates) with my second day on the job. The medications were out of order and the MARS orders were vague. I couldn't take my cell phone in the building to call anyone outside for help. The only person I could really could call was a charge nurse in a building way across campus. I called her to get clarification on some orders, but she was totally computer illiterate. I told the nurse manager that I could no longer be put in that position because they knew that my license was brand new and they could cause me to loose my license with virtually NO support. I did not know that they were putting me with so many clients until I had signed on for the day. I documented everything that transpired.

Ok, so I have vented that. What you guys had done anything different? I heard that nurses eat their young, but I didn't expect this to happen this way!

[BeckyLynn2]

All you can do in that situation is let the charge nurse know your concerns and document any issues and concerns. That is a lot of patients/inmates for one nurse to medicate in 8 hours. I work in a correctional facility also and I never get a break or a lunch break the whole time I'm there. I know what you are feeling. Can you talk to the charge nurse and ask her what her recommendation would be for you in that situation?

[onepowerfullady, LPN]

All you can do in that situation is let the charge nurse know your concerns and document any issues and concerns. That is a lot of patients/inmates for one nurse to medicate in 8 hours. I work in a correctional facility also and I never get a break or a lunch break the whole time I'm there. I know what you are feeling. Can you talk to the charge nurse and ask her what her recommendation would be for you in that situation?

Thank you so much for your reply. I tried to work it out, but I just couldn't keep the craziness up and worry about putting someone's life in danger. I got no help. Better luck next time!

[lunalee62]

I am so sorry this happened to you. As a new hire, you should still have been in orientation, or shadowing, another nurse. As a new nurse, passing meds to 200 people, by yourself, is completely insane. In Texas, we have what is called "safe harbor" by the Board of Nursing. If you feel the assignment you have been given is above your experience level you can declare that. Does your state offer similar? I assume your charge nurse is an RN, who is ultimately responsible for your assigment.Remember, you can aways file a complaint with BON related to who assigned you that work that day, as it was negligence on the RN's part. The BON needs to know about problems like this and also the State Dept. of Health. Never accept an assigment you are not experienced with. Even if you have signed into work, you still have to get your assigment.