JailRN

I work for the police department in a local jail. I'm always professional, but not warm and fuzzy. That will get you hurt. I see murderers, rapists, child molesters, drunk drivers, child abusers, etc. I can tell you, I'd give him the same care that I give all of my inmates! To those who would do less, please reread the Nightengale Pedge!!

The beauty of nursing is that you can switch 'specialties'. Go where you're pulled. I've been in nursing since 1972, most of it psych. Most pts have some underlying psych dx. Plus, if you know your psych, you'll have an easier time with your boards. As mentioned before, non compliance is a huge problem, but, until they can stabilize meds for 6 months and have an implantable pump, it's difficult for the pts, their families and us! They get to a poiint where they gain weight, or don't think it works, so they flush it, sell it, trade it, loose it whatever! I think in psych, you must learn to think outside the box. What works for one, doesn't work for the identical twin with the same symptoms! The study and treatment of the mind is still in it's infancy. Also, most psych drugs take 4-6 weeks to work and pts are too frustrated! We are a society of 'fix it yesterday'. I'm on a local PET team and I can't tell you HOW many kids I get in the ER! Parents have had however many years to screw this kid up, indulge him, make excuses for their bx, take their side against schools, police, neighbors, relatives, etc, then want me to fix them in 60 minutes!! Sorry, pixie dust was optional with the RN renewal and I chose not to spend the $75 for it! A sense of humor is also important. (In it's place, of course). It helps if you have someone close to you who has a mental illness (and nowadays who doesn't?). Empathy is critical. You'll learn to think like they do. That's scary sometimes! Good luck and let me know how you're doing!!!

She's lazy. Plain and simple! It drives me crazy when RN's have time to complain about something that we could have taken care of ourselves. It would have taken a few minutes to answer the light and put the pt on a bedpan, instead if having the pt soil themself. I'm sure others called the RN on her nonsense!

I think there's one like this in every facility. I wouldn't tell her anything! She sounds like she'd cover it up or just lie. Your responsibility is to your patients and yourself. You don't want to get involved in some sort of conspiracy! Keep doing what your doing, if she harasses you, go to H. R, don't let her bully you

What part of 'apply sparingly' did you not understand, Sir??

"The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth". Sounds like you have more on your hands than an ugly, foul mouth pt. You have co-workers who 'yell at you'. I wouldn't put up with it. You were correct in your notes. It's not your job to write nurses notes to make your coworkers look good. Or to paraphrase. You write exactly what was said! All else is subjective. And I'd be in somebody's office filing paperwork on your charming coworker.

Congrats! Just breathe, pause and think before you answer. Find out about the facility and what they offer to pts before you go. You'll be fine. Let us know!

Unless they ask, don't volunteer information. Years ago, I oriented a RN from a registry who was hired to work weekends. When she was scheduled for her first shift 3 days later, the registry called and said she was in labor and wouldn't be in. I never knew she was pregnant! Ha! When I was pregnant with #2, I was 8 months before anyone realized that I was pg and not getting fatter! You'll be fine.

Wake him up. He'll eventually fall asleep again. Like was said before, you're responsible for giving the meds ordered. If there's a problem, how does it look in court?

I wouldn't compromise my values for any price. If the MD's aren't docs that you would go to and take your family to, I wouldn't work for them. It's not worth putting your license at risk.

:rotfl::rotfl: Cute, very cute I needed that today Thanks!!!!!!

The jail nurses' favorite "Adam Henry"--police terminology for the initials "A.H." is (how can I say this and not get into trouble) 'bottom hole', (uncoop, out of control, loud, cursing, gassing (throwing urine/feces on staff), spitting) As in, 'there's an Adam Henry down in booking" also "V+V cocktail" (DUI's booked in) 'vicodin (or valium) and vodka' ("I haven't been drinking--F-ing cop just didn't like me) As in "she was picked up for DUI-V+V cocktail" :beercuphe

LAC+USC!!!! The benefits of being a government (any govt--city, county, state, federal) employee are the BEST!!! If I had known then what I know now, I could retire TOMORROW (I'm 55) and collect about $66,000/yr. and could still work as a RN somewhere else. :banghead::banghead::banghead: I tell my kids, 'get a government job, I don't care if you sweep the parking lot now and become the president later--just get in the door" :chuckle:chuckle:chuckle:chuckle:chuckle:chuckle

I did the 30 unit option program a LONG time ago through a community college. (I was an old lady in a hurry and this seemed to be California's answer to the growing nursing shortage). Our class of 40 only lost about 3 on the way. It was a one year program. We took our boards (the older ones where you went for 2 days, 4 sessions and only given twice a year, took 2 months for results) and only one failed. (We suspect she did that for financial reasons (got more allimony from 'ex' and an LVN) I've been happily (and successfully) practicing as a RN for years. We were told (at the time), that only 6 states had no reciprocity with us-(I'm sure that's changed by now)-one of them was North Dakota, where they said you had to have a BSN to be a RN there. If you're not planning on moving out of state and you're a little older (I say that with no malice in my heart) and want to get it in a hurry, I'd say go for it. But, you must remember, technically, you are not a graduate of any school of nursing, so you're not a diploma nurse, nor a graduate of a college, so you don't have a degree. (Some employers list that you must be a graduate of an accredited school of nursing) You DO have a RN license, because you've completed the requirements to sit the board and passed. The license looks like any other California RN license and the employer will know that status only when they CALL the BRN for license verification (It's not posted on the website) Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT saying you should hide it from anyone. I'm not ashamed of once being a an LVN or now, a 30 unit option RN. I am a RN. period. Like it was said before, even if you get the degree later, you can't change the BRN status. Of you have the time, patience and enjoy school, I'd say go for the degree. My husband went back to school at 48 and got his degree in nursing at 54. If I had to do it all over again, I would have listened to my parents and 'applied myself' in college when I was 17, and gotten the MSN at that time. AH, hindsight!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shouldda, couldda, wouldda

Buy it!! It's not going to get cheaper. You will have tax writeoffs. You will own it. You will not waste money on rent. You will be settled. We bought our home in 1976 for $90,000. 4 bedrooms, pool, on a postage stamp piece of real estate. At the beach. I sweated those $600 payments. I think everybody does for the first few years. Property will go up. Rapidly, in southern california. Get the cheapest home you can find, in an area that has the best schools. National Blue Ribbon schools. The beach cities are about 20 degrees cooler than the valley. Yeah, traffic is a bear, but, you don't have to rent a house at the 'shore' for a week when you take vacation. Look around, don't rush, take your time....it will be worth it. BTW--The house is now worth $2 million.

I grew up there and went to nursing school there. Reading Hospital is a good place, they seem to be on top of their game and patients get good care. There is also St. Joseph's Hospital which is also a good place to work. Do not live in downtown Reading, even though it's inexpensive, it's very run down, and crime is rising. But, if you think you can handle it, there are huge victorian homes on Perkiomen Avenue (very cheap). There are many lovely suburbs, West Reading, Sinking Springs, to name a few. Plus, the outlets are FABULOUS!!!! Good luck!! (I moved to California)

Again, good for you...the nurses are the ones with the license to loose, not the security staff..they need to learn about liability, liability, liability.............you trust your judgement and your gut.....

Good for you!!! We nurses need to trust our 'gut' feelings and not back down just becaues the detention satff doesn't like it or is inconvenienced by our decisions!

Well, I knew it was too good to be true. Looks like the job that I love so much may be contracted out to a private company. Anybody have experience with any of these folks?? I really don't want to leave the city, (and benefits, etc), but I don't want to leave the jail either. I'm already seeing the writing on the wall and am so stressed out about it. I lost a great part of my identity when my husband died, I don't want to loose another big part of what I do and where I work. I have to plan for the future, permanent retirement isn't an option for a LOT of years. SO------- I can- 1. Quit worrying about it until it happens, then say, I should have seen it coming and have to scramble to retrain, recertify, transfer, move, etc. 2.Transfer to the Health Department, keep my benefits. 3.Retire (collect my very small pension) and work for the new company (IF they're hiring) and hope for good benefits. 4. Go through ALL of the 'stuff' to work for another city/county. (which for those of you who know, is unlike any other job application you will ever fill out-certified copies of birth/marriage/death records, sealed HS/college transcripts, driving record, credit records, background---etc) 5. Get out of correctional nursing, (which I would have to do if I went to the health department), retrain and learn to love something else. 6. Hope I win the lottery and working won't be an issue!:w00t: (fat chance of THAT) Any of my nurse buddies know of any private companies in Southern California that do jail/prison healthcare? AAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!:wtosts: Thanks!!

have you completed your pre reqs??

Not no, but, HELL NO!! 1. An associates degree nurse needs more credits than any other major, and makes less money, 2. most facilities don't compensate for a BSN, let alone a MSN, unless you're in management, 3. new grads make almost as much as an experienced nurse. All comes down to money, respect, appreciation. We're supposed to get our reward in heaven.

I couldn't jusify putting him on suicide precautions for possibly pulling out the line--plus, where he was housed is where they would have put him for SP anyway, and they are checked q 15 minutes. I was having him transfered out on my shift, but he'd been there since 1930 the night before.... Tell me about 'policies'--what is it they say about a committee???? sigh

1. Can't figure out any benefits. 2. No, because they haven't helped when I needed them to. 3. I'm not sure what you mean, "don't like your job"?? don't like your assignment, don't like what??? If it's the assignment, I'd suck it up and do it, figure there's tomorrow..if it's the whole job, I'd evaluate why I was there in the first place....most facilities have employee counseling available... 4. Depends what the concerns are..if it's criminal, speak up--if it's a personality thing, try and work it out..otherwise seee #3. 5. I'm never afraid to speak for patients. That's part of my job, to advocate for them. You can be fired in both places..but, depending on your seniority, it's a little harder in a union facility 6. Sometimes there are people who should have been let go, and they're not.. 7.No 8. Both 9. Seniority is seniority--they can work it to whatever advantage they want--go by how long you're in that postition, that shift, that floor, that facility, that chain..depends how they want to spin it 10. No. I've found both groups pretty equal--depends on your persistance 11. No 12. Yes 13. I don't like the thought of striking--I'm a professional. 14. See 13 15. Same 16. Again, depends on how management wants to spin it. They talk about ratios, but when the time comes... 17. Nurses have to speak for themselves. 18. No strikes. 19. NO 20. Hopefully not 21. Worsen 22. The general public doesn't understand until they have someone in the hospital. Some think we sit all day, drink coffee, flirt with doctors, and collect huge paychecks!!! 23. N/A 24. About average, some stay forever, others don't make a week. 25. I have no problem getting approved supplies in my facility. I just make a phone call. Good luck!!

Thanks-- I do examine wounds, etc. when an IM arrives..I can't remember a time that we have ever had a PICC line here..occ. we get a heparin lock that wasn't removed at the local ER..we remove it and dress the site...we have nothing to flush or maintain the line here...we sent IM's out who are more complicated medically than we can handle...no way to get history, they usually are pts of the VA, county hospitals, or prisons and it's next to impossible to pin down records....I'm just curious if anyone has experiences or opinions on how long it 'takes before I worry about infection beginning'...maybe I'm just being a worry wart. I'm just trying to protect my license and give good IM care. sigh PS LOVE your quote!!! Sounds like someone I know!!!

OK, nurses..I need opinions, facts, experiences How long, would any of you say, it takes for an infection to start in a PICC line??? I recently had a newly arrived inmate with a PICC line, he had no idea how long it had been in place, or how long it was. He said he has 'chemo', (but didn't know the name of his medication) every 3 weeks, last infusion was 3 days ago..he's not sure how often the line is maintained or when the dressing was changed last. The inmates are usually less than reliable historians..so, it's tough to believe anything they tell us. There's no way to verify any of this...my hands are tied....I have many concerns about this IM and his line. Alll of that aside, how long, would any of you say, it would take before I'd 'worry' about an infection..I figure, IF he had chemo 3 days ago, his WBC would be dropping, and even though our facility is cleaner than most of their outside living quarters, I'm still VERY concerned about infection..(among other things,) considering MRSA runs rampant both in jails and our community...... Also, IM's have been known to harm themselves, in an effort to get out..he may pull out the line and where he is, it could be 15 minutes before he's discovered....I can't keep him in sight until I can have him transfered...another concern.. I used to put PICC lines in, but that was 1994-2000, so I'm sure things have changed since then... I was told 12-14 hrs here was 'no big deal...if it was 24 hrs, THEN I should start to worry'...I disagree... Any experiences?? Thanks in advance...