Privatized Prisons

I worked for CCA for 6 years and at the time they were a good company to work for. I have heard that is no longer the case but cannot say that as first hand knowledge.

I have not worked directly for one of these outfits, but I know plenty of people who have. Prison Health Services ran the medical operation at Clark County Detention Center (downtown Las Vegas) for some time, and they were replaced by NaphCare. I have heard nothing good about this company. I work for Nevada DOC, and we recently got applications from eight NaphCare RNs trying to get out of CCDC. One we recently hired told me of bad management, impossible workloads and insufferable supervisors and managers. This was just one man's opinion, of course, but this guy doesn't seem the type to exaggerate or embellish.

Corrections Corporation of America ran our women's prison until about a year and a half ago. They were chronically understaffed, in part because they paid far less than the DOC. The DOC took this facility over in October 2004.

I have worked State facilities and privatized prisons/jails. I am curious about which privatized prison corporations yall have worked at, and your opinion. I worked for WCC (Wackenhut Corrections Corporation) and PHS ( Prison Health Services). At one time I was going to work for CCA (Corrections Corporation of America) but decided not to take the job. I have also heard of MTC. Just curious about yalls experiences with privatized prisons...............

Hi, Texas Cowgirl,

I worked for First Correctional Medical out of Arizona who had the contract forthe 9 Delaware Prisons and they paid $31/hr nights at the worst prison, the one where the inmate grabbed a counseler, raped and sodomized her for 7 hrs until the SWAT team capped him. This was RN pay, and these folks learned the hard way that they just couldn't pay the same as hospitals because the conditions were so dangerous. Corectional Medical took it over after I left, and they seem to pay about the same, but still probably better than the small hospitals in the state. They have been forced to staff with LPNs, many from Africa, and staff with per diem LPNs, who do not understand that the RN in charge may have to change assignments, have someone run to receiving, etc. and the amount of gross insubordination is shocking, and tolerated by management more than it should. There are some wonderful people within, but it's a shame the management doesn't value its nurses--they don't even pay more for a BSN than an ADN, or for years of experience! A real shame, because I liked that type of work.:balloons: BaydogRN

:balloons:

I have worked State facilities and privatized prisons/jails. I am curious about which privatized prison corporations yall have worked at, and your opinion. I worked for WCC (Wackenhut Corrections Corporation) and PHS ( Prison Health Services). At one time I was going to work for CCA (Corrections Corporation of America) but decided not to take the job. I have also heard of MTC. Just curious about yalls experiences with privatized prisons...............

Hi, I worked in Corrections for 7 1/2 years. I absolutely loved it. I started as being a Sick Call and Infirmary Nurse, later promoted to D.O.N.. I found the career very satisfying. I have worked with Wexord and Correctional Medical Services. I found that CMS, by far is better. I also took my certification exam and passed and am an RN, BSN, CCHP and proud of it.

:balloons:

Hi, I worked in Corrections for 7 1/2 years. I absolutely loved it. I started as being a Sick Call and Infirmary Nurse, later promoted to D.O.N.. I found the career very satisfying. I have worked with Wexord and Correctional Medical Services. I found that CMS, by far is better. I also took my certification exam and passed and am an RN, BSN, CCHP and proud of it.

Can you share where you got your CCHP? Thanks.

Can you share where you got your CCHP? Thanks.

Hi Traveleralways,

I am a CCHP or Certified Correctional Health Professional. You can contact the NCCHC or National Commission on Correctional Healthcare for the certification dates, locations, and requirements.

Hope this helps, RNCCHP

Can you share where you got your CCHP? Thanks.

Hi Traveleralways,

I am a CCHP or Certified Correctional Health Professional. You can contact the NCCHC or National Commission on Correctional Healthcare for the certification dates, locations, and requirements.

Hope this helps, RNCCHP

How difficult was the test, and what did you use (if anything) to study for it?

thanks,

HM

How difficult was the test, and what did you use (if anything) to study for it?

thanks,

HM

I bought the books from the NCCHC. I can honestly say they helped a lot. The test wasn't easy but doable if you studied. The only bad part is that to keep the certification you must renew every year which involves continuing ed. of 18 credits with 6 specific to correctional nursing and pay the fee. It is sometimes difficult to find correctional nurse specific CE's.

I bought the books from the NCCHC. I can honestly say they helped a lot. The test wasn't easy but doable if you studied. The only bad part is that to keep the certification you must renew every year which involves continuing ed. of 18 credits with 6 specific to correctional nursing and pay the fee. It is sometimes difficult to find correctional nurse specific CE's.

Thanks, I will look into this.

My Husband And I Are Members Of The Afscme Union , He Is A Correctional Officer And Me A Nurse...the Union Lobbies Against The Privatization Of Prisons Due To The Decreased Quality Of Personel. The Requirements Are Not What State Requires...we Work Under Standards That Are Set By The American Correctional Association...and The Safe Prisons Act. Better For Officers, Nurses And Offenders. (or That Is My Opinion) Never Worked Private Prison.

I have worked for CCA in a womens facility and am leaving due to chronic understaffing, lack of necessary equipment and bad management.

With staffing at a low, I have worked every weekend since Jan. This was done without even a phone call or any notice. We recently had a code without even minimal equipment.

All I can say is that I would not reccomend CCA as an employer.

I have worked for the DOC run prison system as well as privatized medical. I have worked for Prison Health Services and Correntional Medical Services. I was so not impressed. I love corrections and in my current state of residence we have only privatized medical. PHS and CMS were not so great but I must say CMS was worse. It is not the staff thay have but the way they treat them. They don't pay well enough this is for sure, and what one person said earlier is so true, they work short and expect absolutle loyalty from their staff. If they need you to work over time or at a different post, wheter your trained, feel comfortable in that post, or whether your child is sick, they just don't care. They need the job done and they are just not very concerned with how it gets done. I found this to be the case at upper management levels, not at the prison level. But this kind of upper level managment doesnt do much for staff retention. One of our prisons is run by CCA, they are not so great with their pay and they also work everyone on a shoestring. It is really too bad that these kinds of companies don't try harder to work with their staff.