Older Nurse/New Job-Any Advice Please!

Specialties Correctional

Published

Hi, I'm in my 21st year of nursing and am looking at a Corrections job. I haven't really worked clinically for about 10 years now and most of it was Neonatal Intensive Care and Psych Nursing. Since then I have worked Psych outpatient as well as in child abuse prevention programs.

I am not so nervous about the prison environment as I am about real nursing again... Any comments, advise would be appreciated.

I will be working prn for an agency so I am not committed to FT or anything like that. If it doesn't work out, I'll find something else.

Thanks for any help.

PS I called myself a Lapsed RN because I was thinking about it and it seems like that's what I am. I'm an RN but I haven't been practising for awhile- kind of like my Catholic husband!!

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Specializes in correctional,med-surg, oncology, peds.

You'll be great b/c of the psych background. Think safety & security and remember they can make a shank from anything. On a different note, they are usually not that bad to nurses b/c they generally want something from us.

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Be on guard at all times.

Inmates have attacked nurses.

when the inmates are interviewed, the inmates said they really liked the nurse, but he/she was the easiest target.

The attacks are usually not personal, remember that, its who is available and easiest to get a point across.

at any rate, with your psyc background you will be fine.

I have lost many skills here, but anything comes up i can do it.

My inmates like me alot, they hate when i go on vacation or am off on my weekends, i look out for them, find out whats up with meds, when their appointment was rescheduled, i handle things when most people blow them off, Inmates try to get switched to my building.

with that said, they would still assault me if they got the order from above to assault staff, any staff.

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Specializes in LTC, hospitals and correctional settings.

Hope you like your new position. It's a wonderful challange and your psych background will serve you well. Have you done any LTC? Your organzational talents will be tested because of the HUGE amount of meds that have to be passed every shift. Just remember that a healthy dose of paranoia is a good thing inside those walls.

Good Luck and stay safe!:flowersfo

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