Nur515

kmruddrn · Jun 2, 2007

The state prison I work for gives nurses 8 weeks of training. Nurses with experience in ER, med/surg, psych have an easier time with learning to be a correctional nurse.

The self defense course is adequate--but good luck defending yourself against a 200 pound inmate that works out 8 hours a day.

We learn in training how to react in hostage situations. Fortunatley on that basis; our inmates have minimal movement, and hostage situations haven't been an issue since the prison opened in 1998. Honestly though--I would be terrified. Who wouldn't?

I have never performed CPR on an employee, but know of two situations to tell you. Neither cause was inmate related. First was a 30-something correctional officer who had a torn aorta rupture at work. He survived. The other was another 30-something correctional officer who had a massive heart attack, while on post, half his body was fully cyanotic by the time he got to the nurses in medical (maybe 3 minutes at most). He was worked on, but unfortunately passed away.

Hope this helps!

VegRN · Jun 3, 2007

The self defense course is adequate--but good luck defending yourself against a 200 pound inmate that works out 8 hours a day.

Hahahhahaha, too funny.

To the OP:

I work for an acute care hospital with a locked unit for state inmates.

I received one day of training on how to deal with inmates and the rest was on the job. Other training includes conferences and readings having to do with taking care of inmates.

There is always an officer present and the facility is run as max.

Self defense course was done when I worked psych. It was a two day course and was focused on non violent methods of defending yourself. Inmate attack seems unlikely since the inmates are sick, not allowed to congregate too much and there is at least one officer present with the nurse at all times.

I would be terrified to be taken hostage, who wouldn't? I would hope I would remain calm and remember my training.

Never had to perform CPR. Thus far, I have been lucky enough to transfer inmates to a higher level of care before that happened.

wareagle31 · Jun 11, 2007

i am attending an online correctional nursing course, and i would like to receive advice/answers to the following questions:

how long was your training prior to working in the prison? i assume you mean training for work in corrections? then none. i walked in and was handed the keys and shown my office.

do you feel the the self-defense course offered prepared you for an inmate attack? what self defense course?

how would you react to being taken hostage? try to be rational as possible.

have you ever had to perform cpr on an employee inside the prison, and if so, what happened? no

please answer as soon as possible. thank you!

Sunshine22 · Jul 5, 2007

Jersey, Where are you taking a corrections course online. Can you put the link up for us to see?

JailRN · Jul 8, 2007

We 'give' registry nurses 4hrs of training, contract nurses get 8hrs, F/T get 2 days, teach 'verbal judo' to them, but I take a rather distinct line with I/M behavior. "Don't let my size (5'4"-110#) or my age (54) fool you--I will STOMP you into the ground and mail whatever is left home to your Momma in a small envelope"--they think I'm either crazy or capable, so they don't test me. :lol2: I do nothing without a SO present, so I'm relatively safe. Never taken hostage, but did have an 18 yr old I/M throw a punch at me, (should I say try):chair:--he found himself thrown into the wall by the SO, them thrown to the ground and restrained by the 6 other So's and PD that were on the floor at the time), as the SO wiped his hands together and said to him, 'now, go back and tell our homeboys that you had your a$$ kicked by a 72 year old man' :rotfl:

CPR--on several I/M's, got them breathing while they were transported, 1 died later at the hospital, aspirated after a drunken binge, one bled out after a ruptured aorta, never a staff member, although I have sent more than I can count to the ER with HTN. They went kicking and screaming, but, tough....I'm not explaining to their families that they died on MY watch!!! :banghead: