tammyRN64

I am wondering how other Directors of Nursing in Correctional Facilities are doing? Between getting bogged down with insignificant petty things all day every day and trying to keep up with State reports, contractor reports, Quality Control reports, and meetings...............it seems I don't have teh MUCH NEEDED TIME to get out there with my nurses. I want to see what's going on, give them support and guidance, help them with things they may struggle with. They are fighting us on going to all computer documentation (though it is a condition of employment), the call ins are off the hook, the doctors write crazy orders (though they have been told over and over to stop writing orders for medical shoes, lay-ins, even bed assignment moves)!?!?! I took the position over just a short time ago. Prior they hadn't had any guidance or support. Now we have a good team in place and are trying to get them back on track, but they are "killing us". How are other DON's doing. I have about 60+ staff (including docs and mental health staff), and over 2,000 inmates. Please share with a frustrated DON. Thanks!

I am happily married, and been in corrections for nearly 6 years. Have gone from PRN LPN, to PRN RN, to Nurse Manager, then Director of Nursing. I have seen one officer sleep with several co-workers (nurses) and slip in a few female officers between. There are a larger number of custody officers who "hop" from officer to officer. It's sad to watch, goodness knows who is passing what to who. I care about my co-workers and cringe when our CO's start "sniffing around" them. I try to warn them of the ones I know have a reputation for adding another notch in their belts. I don't personally mind, but I don't want to see people hurt by people they work with everyday. On the other hand, I have seen successful relationships between a nurse and a custody officer. Again, these were not the officers with a reputation for being "Casanova", just people who genuinely want someone to love. Both situations happen anywhere you have adults of both sexes. I guess you just have to get an idea of how genuine the other person is regarding a "relationship" and know your own expectations. General common sense? Someone said something about a type of bond between people behind the fence/wall, or whatever. I believe this to be true to an extent. We all have to watch out for each other as well as ourselves in there. Let's face it......we are not babysitting folks who "skipped Sunday School". After seeing fellow staff (officers) injured in a riot, stabbed by an inmate, the list goes on.....you do have an understanding of how important it is to work with people you trust. Follow your heart, but it never hurts to ask around about the person's behavior in case you are looking for love, and they don't want a commitment.

What agency were you with? We are considering travel from Indiana to Idaho. I want, no NEED, a reliable agency with good reputation who does what they say they will do, especially 2300 miles from home. Do most private housing provided by agencies include......kitchen utensils, bath towels, etc. or what do thier "furnishings" include? Any input would be GREATLY appreciated. Thansk so much! :) Tammy

We are considering travelling to Idaho (Boise) for an assignment this summer. I have been a nurse for many years and used to do agency in various nursing himes within Indiana. I have never gone this far from home, and will have a YEARS experience as an RN in the hospital setting in June. Was an LPN for 23 years before this. I am searching for input regarding what agency would be best to use for an assignment 2300 miles from home.....where there may be good housing in that area, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much! :) Tammy

Is this Lee as in Lee County Florida..Fort Myers, Florida? I am interested in going to Fort Myers at some point. Just getting geared up to try the travel nursing thing.............tired of the politics at my hospital (not to mention the ZERO or less degree Indiana weather). BBBBBbbbbbbbbbbrrrrrrrrr!!!

I agree....not just psych but geriatrics are helpful in the hospital. My love is psych (and hearts other desire is OB-where I have never gotten opportunity to work yet), and I did 17 years in extended care as an LPN. I work on a Med-Surg unit (trying to get my first year as an RN under my belt doing the "right thing"***aka:Med-Surg). I hate it where I work. Anyway, when we get a geriatric patient that "fights" the shift before me, I can get them (9.5 times out of 10) to do whatever needs to be done, without scratching/biting/hitting. Their families sit and stare at me with their mouths open. When I smile and tell them my background they smile and are grateful I knew how to deal with their loved one. When I get a psych patient I don't "freak" out. Last week the LPN I was working with who has always worked med-surg came almost at a run, up the hall telling me that the pt in 2 (paranoid schizophrenic....among other Dx's) was laying on floor in hallway. I laughed and said, "we are blessed if that is the worst/strangest thing you see him do while he's here!" They have no concept for these geriatric and/or psych pts who have such special needs above and beyond their med-surg backgrounds. God help them if they ever see any of the guys from my psych units at the prison....tee hee! THAT is a trip to spend your 12 hour shift with, seriously. A narrow view leaves too much room for missing things. Variety is more than JUST "the spice of life" in our line of work. Take care. Tammy:monkeydance:

I agree....not just psych but geriatrics are helpful in the hospital. My love is psych (and hearts other desire is OB-where I have never gotten opportunity to work yet), and I did 17 years in extended care as an LPN. I work on a Med-Surg unit (trying to get my first year as an RN under my belt doing the "right thing***aka:Med-Surg). I hate it where I work. Anyway, when we get a geriatric patient that "fights" the shift before me, I can get them (9.5 times out of 10) to do whatever needs to be done, without scratching/biting/hitting. Their families sit and stare at me with their mouths open. When I smile and tell them my background they smile and are grateful I knew how to deal with their loved one. When I get a psych patient I don't "freak" out. Last week the LPN I was working with who has always worked med-surg came almost at a run, up the hall telling me that the pt in 2 (paranoid schizophrenic....among other Dx's) was laying on floor in hallway. I laughed and said, "we are blessed if that is the worst/strangest thing you see him do while he's here!" They have no concept for these geriatric and/or psych pts who have such special needs above and beyond their med-surg backgrounds. God help them if they ever see any of the guys from my psych units at the prison....tee hee! THAT is a trip to spend your 12 hour shift with, seriously. A narrow view leaves too much room for missing things. Variety is more than JUST "the spice of life" in our line of work. Take care. Tammy:monkeydance:

CoryRN, All the folks we know in your neck of the woods that don't want people moving in only say, "We don't want Californians". Not that they don't like Californians as people..........it's just that they have come in and driven the prices of land to a PHENOMINAL RATE, since they could get twice (or better) the property for the same price they paid in California. Had they been smart, they would ahve been willing to only pay a fair price for what they have bought up, and not driven the price to such outrageous amounts. The native Idaho folks we know just see their Idaho turning into another high-priced place to live like California, not their simple, fairly priced world. That is understandable to a reasonable person.I know I cannot afford to move out there, pay some horrendous price for an acre, then pay to build a home too!!! I looked at the paper, and found a "great deal" (NOT!), on an older manufactured home for $189,000 ( on a small lot no less)!!!!!!!!!! Can't blame folks for being upset. It aggravates me that I can't afford to go there and buy a place in the mountians because I don't have $500,000 to do so. Once they find out we are not from California (come to help drive prices through the roof where nobody else can afford them) they are very gracious and welcoming. In fact they are BEGGING us to come there to live. I had a phone interview with St. Luke's not long ago and the nurse manager talked to me for 120 minutes. They have called the house several times since, wanting me to head out there.....and I won't have a year in as RN in hospital until this coming June. Take care and best wishes. Tammy

Tanya, Our daughter lives in Pall Mall, and is trying to get us to move to TN, nearer to her. I really do want to. Have sent applications to both Livingston and Cookeville hospitals, but know nothing about them......nor about where we might look for a place to live in those areas (Livingston or Cookeville). Have only been to Cookeville x2, shopping with her and did go by a couple of apartment complexes, but nothing "struck my fancy" so to speak. Any insight you can share would be GREATLY appreciated. I have just under a year Med-surg since receiving my RN, other primary experiences are in Department of Corrections and Long-term care facilities. Thanks for your help, as well as anyone else out there with any helpful information. Tammy

Tanya, Our daughter lives in Pall Mall, and is trying to get us to move to TN, nearer to her. I really do want to. Have sent applications to both Livingston and Cookeville hospitals, but know nothing about them......nor about where we might look for a place to live in those areas. Have only been to Cookeville x2, shopping with her. Any insight you can share would be GREATLY appreciated. I have just under a year Med-surg since receiving my RN, other primary experiences are in Departmetn of COrrections and Long-term care facilities. Thanks for your help, as well as anyone else out there with any helpful information.

Hello All, My husband wants to move to Boise area.........away from our entire families. It's a beautiful place and I only saw a dab" of the area. Hopefully you can help me out with some information: 1.) How expensive are automobile license plates? Insurance?...generally speaking---paid @ $450.00 for plates on '06 Toyota Highlander here in Indiana.; 2.) RN jobs/wages in the area?; My experience is ECF, prisons, and hospital med-surg (not quite a year yet); 3.) Best areas to look for decent housing, that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? (We know some folks between Boise and Idaho City....the price of land is WAY over the top in the mountains unless you are a well-paid surgeon or attorney, etc).; 4.) Considering talking him into doing some "travel" nursing with me to explore other parts of country as well before settling there, or anywhere for that matter.....anyone know of a great travel agency to consider applying with? Thanks a bunch to all of you. Tammy

Trudy, ABSOLUTELY!!! We do keep those angels busy watchhing over us don't we? And, yes, instincts play a big part, as well as impartiality. I am fair, kind when I can be, and yes....they do take up for you when a new offender tries to be a butt toward you. They let them know NOT to mess with the ones who treat them decent. They also do not treat us as they do the officers, nor do the officers treat them as the nurses do. One thing I try to keep in mind is, someday these guys will be back on the streets. They may be able to locate us, and if we keep it real, they are less likely to. If we are intentionally cruel, or unfair, we earn more attention than I want when they get out. My husband does not understand why I feel this way, but I don't have to watch over my shoulders like I know I would if I treated them like some do. Overall, they give me much less trouble than they do some others. And they tend to heed my warnings of what "bad" behavior will get them if they are acting up, as well. Tammy

Lori, I too have a heel problem. They burn like fire after 12.5 hrs of walking and standing. I was wearing New Balance 608, but they are not doing the job anymore. After hitting about 7-8 stores looking for right shoes, bought a pair of rockers clogs and a pair of quarky quarks tonight. Hoping for the best. I'm too old to hurt that bad every night after work. Maybe 23 years of this is just too much. Let me know how you like your new shoes. I haven't tried mine yet. **********I'm in Indiana too, but wish I was in Tennessee where our daughter is.*********** :innerconf

Yes, Heather was good about calling me first for assignments when we worked together before. The agency she worked for covered the prisons I worked at. Since she has been at General I only worked a couple of times for her in nursing homes...............just got out of school last May for my RN and have been working full-time at a hospital, part time at the prison only. (Her agency no longer has the prisons, since our piece of #@*% governor privatized the prisons. That's a frightening story I won't go into.) Heather will take care of you. I still email her, and call her occassionally though. She's a great gal! Best wishes to you.

After 4 1/2 years in DOC, I had one offender try to punch me in the stomach through cuff port of cell door. As I was familiar with him and his psych issues I was careful and tried to keep arms length from his reach whenever I took him meds (one who could like you one second and want to kill you the next), so he did not harm me. I stood there and looked at him while the officer with me had some words with him. Later, over the intercom I heard the other offenders on that range saying, "Tammy's got B***'s!" because I did not run away. Standing your ground yet treating them like people has worked for me over the years.