Opinions from ER and Correctional nurses wanted

atownsendrn · Jan 9, 2004

Heartattaq - The ER placement will be unlike anything you have ever experienced. It will probably be a combination of med/surg, ortho, surgery, trauma, L&D, post-partum, critical care, and OR. It is a never ending scenerio. The drama (for me) is trying to figure out what is going on with the patient and then helping to fix it. The best parts are when you get to see immediate results in patients - like when you give thrombolytics to someone have an acute MI and see the repurfusion and relief from pain. Or you have someone after a MVC in your trauma room with massive internal injuries and you get them to the OR alive. Or you comfort a parent of an infant who needs hospitalized for new onset of seizures and that mother hugs you and says thanks for helping us. Then you will have the patients that you couldn't help - then you comfort the family and realize that it was still a good day. You also will deal with the drug seekers, the suicidal/homocidal patient that needs restrained quickly, the beligerent mother of a child who has had a rash or cough for a week and she is mad because you a treating the patient having a stroke first, and the frequent flyers that you have tried to get to go to their primary care doctor but they keep showing up on your shift in the ER.

So I guess my recommendation to you is enjoy your ER experience and hopefully you will be with a perceptor that will show you the ropes. There is a lot to learn - and it can be a rollcoaster ride. So - hold on, scream when you need to, ask questions, and have an open mind. You will either fall in love:kiss with ER nursing or you will hate it.

Good luck:wink2:

Heartattaq · Jan 10, 2004

atownsendrn- Thank you for the reply. I think I am going to love the ER as I love to be constantly challenged mentally and physically. As well I hope I get a great preceptor as well, as I am sure it will help make or break the experience for me. Man I can hardly wait now for this first period placement to fly by so I can get to the ER lol.

And in a new hospital to boot. We should be moving into the new hospital in February and I start the ER placement in March can't wait.

Mama Val, ASN, RN · Jan 10, 2004

I have worked in correctional nursing for over 6 years now and I love my job. I know you have heard that they will all try and play some game with you, and they will, but remember not all. The hardest part is deciding what is real and what has been "massaged for the good of the patient". After some time and experience you will be able to seperate legit patients from "the players". When you are done you will have a much wider medical/mental health and pharmacological knowledge than your friends.

And sometimes you see some realy cool stuff, what some people will do to beat the system can amaze you.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2004

Howdy yall

As an ER nurse you will also frequently take care of prisoners also. a lot of them with that serious disease called

STATICUS INCARCERATUS

aka jailitis.

Just treat them like everyone else, and all will be fine.

ER is the only way to go

ER wants the few the proud the good

joniri · Jan 19, 2004

:roll I have been a correctional nurse for over 4 years and after this experience will never go back to a hospital setting. It is an area that provides challenge, independence, as well as rewards. For most part, the patients are people with strong addictions and poor judgements, like some of our neighbors, family members, and so on. Yes, there are those who made the newspaper's front pages, who are really bad guys. Being non-judgemental and emotionally strong and stable is mandatory to be able to be a correctional nurse. Jails have different positions: the pre-trial facilities have a "booking floors" which is a triaging floor for medical staff (RN's use their assessment skills to determine who they can take care of in the jail and who needs to go to hospital...). This area could be like Grand Central at times (e.g. Fridays nights) and very challenging, if you like that faster pace. Most of jails also have infirmaries, much like med-surg floors, except, in jails, the acuity is less. The idea is: who needs a nurse to wash his/her back, most likely does not belong in jail. In regards to security, correctional facilities are the safest work place for medical staff. It is a controled and very structured environment. Just like any medical providing entity, there are the minimum standards to comply with: Title 15, specific for correction (Title 22 in hospitals and clinics) and IMQ (accrediting branch of CMA) and equivalent of the joint commision. We are surveyed every 2 years by IMQ and yearly by DHS and BOC. And by the way, somebody asked about California Forensic Medical Group, Inc. This a pioneer organization in correctional medicine: founded in 1985 and currently contracted in 25 counties within the state of California. It is very reputable and best organization I ever worked for. I hope this gives you a general idea about corrections.