RNonRun

No, Eirene, you are not alone. But you do seem to be internalizing it a bit (in my own reading and interpretation.) I too have a big heart. I try to just deal with what is in front of me. I do not work with your degree of mental health but while working in Corrections we all deal in Mental Health one way or another. I don't know how much nursing experience you have or how old you are. I was "In Jail" for four years and I now have about two years of "Prison time" LOL. Maybe its the area you work in. I prefer Jail in someways because it was hopping and more drama and lots of fun really. I also think there is more hope because even tho it too is a revolving door and they WILL be back, there is HOPE that they won't. Prison is much more final. I try to be clinical like I would suppose an ER is like. Just do the job. You can show compassion but don't show weakness. I can get on a soap box about all the injustices in the world there are so many of many different kinds in the correctional setting. Personally I couldn't work with youth because I wanted to slap them and hug them all at the same time and it was WAY too Heartbreaking for me. Too personal brought it home every night. I have WAY more drama with my staff than I do with the inmates. I take some of THAT home with me at times. But I LOVE this line of work maybe you just need to find the right area of corrections to work in. I can't say I would do any better in your area until I tried it. But no you don't have to be a hug-a-thug just because you have compassion in your heart. Sorry, just rambling a bit. Don't give up. Lots of nurses have our perspective. I just try to remember in all things.... It Is What It Is. A little fact a Shot Caller told me one time. I am a nurse he is the inmate. I take care of his medical needs and do not judge (as much as possible) --leslie

In Jan 2007 RN's starting were making $7650 a month. Regardless of what the web site says. In a nutshell some facilities are extremely difficult to work for. Back Stabbing sums it up but mentally taxing is more like it. Correctional work is great (for me) been doing it 4 years love it! Its Who you work with as proffesionals that is the issue not who you care for that cause problems. Each facility has its ups & downs. Would prefer to discuss off board.

Hmm, sounds very familiar though I have not worked at YOUR facility Organic. People who don't know are always worried about inmates attacking them in some way. Oh I am sure it happens I have known nurses it happens to. But in 4 years in Correctional Health, that I dearly love and am GOOD-GREAT at (!!), I find its the staff that you have to watch your proverbial back with. Not the inmates. I have definitely met some pyschos along the way... LVN's RN's and some nurse Administrators!!! But the inmates??? Walk in the park. Better really cause I am always looking in the shadows in the park trying to remember where I am. I least expect to be sabatoged or ill treated by my coworkers. Not too long ago, The Pysch counselors were giving a class on staff splitting, and manipulation. Referring to watching out for these behaviors in inmates. LMFAO!!!!!! I wrote in "Oh yeah and then there are the inmates!" It seems to be the STAFF that causes the biggest stress to working in Jail/prison. And in MOHO California Mental Health patients are being hired as nurses. That being said I love it. I am toying with staying in prisons or taking a pay cut and going back to jail where I was more in sync with the detention officers and them with me... we meshed well, there Organic they would actually bring me I/Ms who were being overlooked medically and I would bend over backwards to see that they would get treated. OTOH don't give me your non-cardiac chest pain nor your fake Sz's and everyone will get along fine.

93 I was in Alabama in Nursing school. Even one of the married male nurses didn't believe Male nurses belonged in OB. !!! Okay for MD's! NOT for Nurses!!! Wouldn't want his wife examined by a male Nurse!! :eek: Need I say more!!! --leslie

As soon as I read the first post I realized of course I have! I have made a few med errors in my day. THANK GOODNESS et al (God Angels etc, that no adverse outcomes EVER resulted!!) they seem to run in 2's for me one on month then another in a period of time that freaks me out. Then THANK GOODNESS NO MORE!!!: In 3 years Only 2 maybe 3 the longest was over a year ago (probably not after this). Finally got my password figured out. YEAH!! --leslie

I agree! So Nurse Warrior, what IS the pay in WV??? and do you work for a privatized co??? ie CMS or PHS??? and how is the air quality there??? Killing me here in Louisville, another year & I will most likely need an inhaler...... Love the job with the new company but they gave someone Dayshift Supervisor that is nothing but nasty to most of us so maybe its time to move on..... West is the way I am hoping for tho...LOL!! --leslie

Hi Foxy! I make about the same as I did when I was working at Hospitals here in Louisville. Right now I am at 21.5 as an RN before shift dif. The LPN's make ALMOST as much... about the most they can make outside of agency around here at around $17-18 an hour. They are not all in beds remember. MOST nites 4 is okay.. factoring in one Mental Health Nurse who can cross over if things get bad as we also would pitch in if she had a suicide attempt or some other of kilter thing. MOST nites its enough. Sometimes its frustrating. The work release facility I work at is running around 500 inmates and we now only have ONE nurse at any given time and there is actually enough work for 2 most shifts. Scared of the inmates??? No. They know if you are new tho... we must smell different. LOL. Sometimes I am more cautious but I don't think I have ever been afraid. We sure could use 2 nurses on the booking floor though. Sheesh THATS a lot of bloody work. --leslie

By the way, what is a demi cup? LOL Okay....I can see the discription is lacking..... The tubing is single.... not terribly flimsy but not as stout as a Littman.... longer though. A demi cup... hmmm a small espresso cup?? Its about 2 inches or so across and a good inch plus high. I mean a BIG bell. --leslie

While I am on the subject.... I understand that Wrist cuffs are not reliable. Fine. Everyone in our facility uses one regaurdless. I am going to give in to one as well. Does anyone know if any are better than others??? I want to keep it under $70.... The Samsung looked ok..... and one called Omron rates itself well. Any ideas are appreciated. --leslie

:Melody: About 5 years ago I picked up an interesting sethoscope. The retailer called it a Big Bell and in fact it has a bell about the size of a demi cup... for lack of a better discription. The ear pc fell off mine and I layed it down at work.... or I left it in the car or its hiding in my disaster of an apt..... I DON"T KNOW! But I can't find the dang thing ANYWHERE. I want another one. Just Like it. It doesn't have to be purple. It retailed then for around $32. I thot it was a lot but I loved the dang thing. Did a Google search twice this week for at least an hour..... Maybe they were a failure... .who knows....Worked great for me.... Anyone have any ideas??? Have a serviceable one you didn't like? See one at your local fav shop???? I really really want another. Sigh..... While I am on the subject... anyone know about these high priced ($80) Ultrascopes???? are we just paying for the design? or are they anygood?? If I can't find the one I want they could be my second choice. --leslie who had to throw in a little whine

Four nurses including one in intake for 1800 inmates. Some nites only three. Only one or 2 more on other shifts but the administrators are here. --leslie

Hi, PHS just took over the Louisville Metro Corrections. We had CMS in here before and it was a nightmare. Still too early to be sure but we don't see too much difference. Granted the problems we have were'nt made overnight... thus they won't go away overnite but we still are doubtful. Trouble is I am loving Correctional Nursing. But we have an Admin who has no corrections experience, and a New DON who has none either. We have major issues like it takes 4 hours to do a med pass (with a 2 hr window right??). PHS bid without ever seeing the facilities.... A week orientation??? HA we got 3 hours when they took over.... maybe it was assumed we new a weeks worth of material as I for one have 2 years on site, but I can tell you things have not been done correctly since BEFORE I came along..... I am not sure anyone knows what correct IS anymore. I hear the benifits were less expensive as well as less comprehensive. I chose the more expensive of the 2 plans so I can have unlimited Mental Heath coverage. This plan is about the same as the one my husband had as a Pharmacy Tech. --leslie The more things change the more they stay the same.

Good God KY huh??Me too. 5 years here and have been an RN since 93 I hear Ky has some really nurse unfriendly BON interpretations/rules. I shudder to think. I guess any state that is so union unfriendly would be of the old mindset that I doctor is alway right and never the nurse. I am sorry for what you are going through... somehow it doesn't surprise me. --leslie

LMBO I have not heard that one before. I started out in the work force 5'8" 140# not in the least overweight and was a truck driver and a damn good one too (I miss that a lot) and would always hear from women esp at church, *a little bitty thing like you?!?*. Now that I am considerablely heavier no one ever comments what a nurse should look like but they are surprised I was a truck driver!! --leslie

Now as nice as I think they could look I would rather wear white. I run REALLY Hot 90% of the time at work and if I had to wear a Jacket I would DIE. Rarely do people like it colder than me. If I am cold its COLD. There is a nursing home in Alabama that pays a bonus if you are in full uniform in white with cap. They give a base rate for pay and then a *bonus* if you are dressed out. Like a dollar or so an hour. Great incentive. Glad I am not running around making sure everyone is wearing white and caps and pins. --leslie