coolchik4sure

:yeahthat: THANK YOU LIZZ! I stated this is one of my posts on correctional nursing regarding the ER being just as, if not more, dangerous than any correctional nursing job. :smackingf: Yes, there are precautions you most definitely need to follow, but if you are alert and aware of your environment (something I recommend in ALL areas of nursing) then you should be fine. I have first hand experience of the "dangers" that exist in an ER, dangers in correctional nursing, heard numerous stories, from other areas of nursing, about being "shot at" when making a home visit, attacks on med surg floors, with NO security in sight, ect. I hate to see nurses get what I refer to as the "jail house mentality" b/c they essentially become ineffective. If you don't see these men/woman as human beings, in need of medical care, then you really are doing them, yourself and the nursing profession a disservice. JMHO. ***This post is not directed toward any person or group. [banana]GOOD LUCK![/banana]

You want nurses, you have a marketing budget, you spend more money to get another person hired, spend money to train them, why are they leaving??? Maybe it's just me, but you don't seem concerned with the actual working conditions for the nurses, but how much money this is costing you. [banana]WHOA[/banana]

i certainly hope you have enlisted the help of your nursing program and staff. they should be your biggest advocates. [banana]good luck![/banana]

those suits made headlines. the legitimacy of the cases was based on the long lapse in care and improper measures to eradicate the cause of the mrsa in living areas. many of these inmates suffered horribly...loss of appendages, loss of life!

Sure hate to discourage you b/c it is a very rewarding area! Seeing people, who are considered "trash" to the majority of our society, receiving competent care is very encouraging. :) I just know that most married females really struggled with spouses (not just medical, but administrative and security areas) that were opposed to them working in that setting. I use to laugh and say, "Who knows what men do, like other men!" Simply meaning, are men hesitant b/c they know how some males would behave when locked away and only a handful of females around??

This is what makes a good correctional nurse, IMHO! Inmates are humans and will respect the nurse that is honest and firm with them, yet does not treat them like Lepers! Some nurses like, excuse me, LOVE THE DRAMA and make correctional nursing LARGER THAN LIFE in regards to safety. Definitely, you have to take many precautions and rely on your security staff. A good security staff can make or break the facility and it's working environment!

nicely stated! it is very rewarding and good nurses are desperately needed in corrections. they are humans deserving of good, competent care!

I know in our system, you are to report if you know an inmate that may be housed at your facilty, prior to incarceration. That did not mean they would move the inmate, but it would be on record JUST in case something ever came up. I live in a very small, Mayberry type town and if every inmate was transferred that I had known over the years, they would definitely have to build new prisons. Many of them were guys who had worked for my husband's landscape business!!

I second that! I always tell people my job would be so much easier if I could relate to the security staff. The whole "power trip" mentality usually kicks in and you have a security staff that is impossible to deal with. They definitely do not understand what it means to be a nurse and how to treat patients with respect and dignity. They are inmates but if that was the bottom line, why have medical facilities in prisons? If security does not care about them getting proper tx, then take medical out of prisons. YOU CAN'T! Inmates are entitled to fair, compassionate tx just as we give the general public. **There are good security staff but they are few!

I use to manage a medical unit in a medium security male prison (approximately 1300 inmates) and this is one of the biggest obsticles to hiring new FEMALE nurses...their spouses, and understandably. Male nurses, no problem. Some husband never get over the feeling of risk and the fact you are around so many males. That makes it very tough on the nurse. If I would have had that problem, I would not have pursued that career choice. Going to work is hard enough, but when someone is against your placeof employment, unless you absolutely love it, it may not be worth the turmoil. IMHO. :)

prison or not, you do not have to divulge your first name to anyone. i think i understand shell3's point and it's right on target...keep it professional. you always have the 5th ammendment!! just know scary is everywhere!

i think so and wish you the very best. this is one area of nursing that desperately needs compassionate, knowledegeable individuals. you will be great!

Your state government website usually post all state agency jobs available. I know GA does...they break it down into agencies so you don't have to peruse the whole entire system. You should see "Department of Corrections" job openings. :)

I have to agree 100% with this post. Having worked as a nurse for 16 years, 5 years with the Department of Corrections, you NEVER know with whom, or what circumstances you are working around. Read reports of what goes through a typical ER...it's enough to scare you from people in general. Corrections is an area that YOU KNOW you need to take certain precautions r/t the mere name CORRECTIONS. However, you don't get a heads-up in other areas of nursing as to who has done what and just hasn't been caught and imprisoned for it. As for how they find out personal info...very, very simple. Names, unfortunately are not as "confidential" as the system would like. Officers give out personal info on other employees, usually innocently, but done so nonetheless. Inmate's family/friends have full access to prison staffing names via websites (more upper level staffing, such as wardens, ect.) they "google" the information, and pass things on to the incarcerated family member. Finding out personal information is not difficult with The World Wide Web and the assistance of family/friends with internet access. I find inmates getting my name and address no more "threatening" than someone I work around, or come in contact with. I have been stalked with no recourse, per my local law enforcement, b/c actual harm had not occured??? Sure, I filed a report BUT until SOMETHING ACTUALLY HAPPENED, nothing could be done beyond warning the person of my complaint. Talk about SCARY!

Having worked as a nurse for 16 years, and worked in a nursing management position at a medium security prison for males, I have a BAD TASTE in my mouth for correstional nursing. No truer statement has ever been uttered than "Department of Corruptions". Law suits are numerous in prison settings but b/c inmates lack any validity r/t the mere fact they are inmates, they RARELY go anywhere. Every Department of Corrections has a legal department, known as "General Council" in many states, that employees attorneys to handle ALL cases brought against the department and it's employess. I am more concerned with suits out in the general public, where people are considered "credible" and have WAY more rights than the incarcerated. My disgust in correctional nursing comes from the lack of compassion and humanity that I witnessed day after day after day. Treat them however, they are ONLY INMATES! I found this to be the deal breaker in working in corrections..obviously I took a different oath upon completion of my schooling than many others.