New job as a Corrections Nurse

[AnewRN2010]

Hi. I just recently was interviewed for a part time job (nights) at a local jail and I am a fairly new nurse. I only have 2 months experience (i was fired from my job at a nursing home for a small med error). One person I interviewed with said that I would be a good fit for them but then I interviewed with the nurse and she said it wouldn't be a good fit because I am new and have very little experience and I need to have really good assessment skills. I am not sure if I got the job or not yet. ANyone start out as a corrections nurse or ever work as a corrections nurse???

[ibrn2010]

I work in corrections right out of school and have been there 6 months. It all depends on the facility you work at. My facility has young men (under 30) so most of them are fairly healthy. I have new grad co-workers who work at other prisons who said its worse when you have older/higher acuity inmates but its nothing they havent been able to handle.

For me its been all about going with my gut and using the skills I learned in school and I havent had any problems (knocks on wood). I even work evenings which means there is no doctor in the building and if there is an emergency I am usually the only RN (in charge) and have to call an on-call doctor. I have learned so much. The biggest thing to get over is being in a prison enviornment.