Opera26

Does anybody who has already gotten CIC know if EPI 101 is enough to take the CBIC exam, or do you need EPI 102 and 201 (or whatever they are) as well? I'm hoping EPI 101 is enough, along with other studies. Thanks, Opera26

great! count me in. thanks for getting this started, chey! opera26

Excellent! Thanks. Yes I am a member of APIC. Opera26

You will probably know more than I do after taking the EPI course! Ha. Good luck! As I mentioned in a previous post, I believe you get more bang for your buck with the local APIC orgs, though you still would need the national organization. Opera

hi chey, can you post a link to this? i am not familiar with this course. and, as far as i know, you can retake the exam, though i have not taken it. thanks, opera

What's true? The skills, or not being able to work in a hospital? :)

There is some prejudice against nurses who work in corrections, though. When I was working on my BSN, one of my online classmates made it very plain she did not want anything to do with me because I worked in a prison. She was quite clear about it. I...

Hi Kitten, Many of the nurses at the prison where I work also work at the local hospital. Oh, and they do not hire new grads who have no experience where I work. Your corrections departments must be different, though. Some people say that prison nurs...

hi jenn, i have been studying off and on for the past 6 months. last month i bought the online practice exam. that made me realize how hard the test really is! i am not even half way through the exam (70 questions). it takes me a long time to find th...

hi jenn, i want to take the exam too, but have not set a date. there is so much to learn! do you go to the local apic meetings? there may be review classes available at a local hospital. you wrote this almost four months ago, have you already taken t...

great info. thanks laura! opera

Unless I missed it, this is the only topic with the word "infect . . . " in it. I was looking for an "Infection Control Nursing" topic to browse here. Maybe the moderators could make an Infection Control Nursing topic heading. Opera

That sounds nuts to me. When I read your post, I thought, "what"? Let the IMs come for their meds. I don't get whatever it is they (whoever's idea this was) are thinking. Change the time the pharm tech gives out the KOPs, if that would help. That is ...

I always said I would never work in a prison. Oops! Best job I have ever had in nursing.

Hi Mt, Many nurses have never worked in a prison before, so don't let your lack of knowledge of prison routine bother you. All of us were new to the system once. Try to say, "I chart everything I do" during the interview. Op

Hi Travduck, Thanks for your response. I agree that it will all work out in time. I was thinking that maybe if I was an officer (like the type who wears gold bars, like a Leutenant, not like a CO), that I would automatically get respect. I was wrong....

Hi All, My nursing job at the prison now has me surrounded by Corrections Officers, as opposed to other nursing/medical staff. I feel like an animal on exhibit at the zoo! Even the lowest ranking COs think they don't have to have any respect for me, ...

Good points, Bub. There must be a reason why nurses are not the equivalent of commissioned officers in prisons. I definetly do not want to be a CO. I agree it will work out in time. Thanks, Op

thanks for the replies. if i were in the military, i would be a lieutenant, at minimum, i would guess. but you're right, rank does not guarantee respect. a higher ranking might imply knowledge and training, though; i don't know. it is only a couple o...

I don't know what's better, since I haven't been in corrections nursing that long. But working for the state Doc must be better, because my state let the DON and administrator switch to the state from the current MHM. Nothing against MHM, it's just t...

I've been in corrections for a few months. Those stories sound exactly like the stuff that goes on where I work, too. Being second-guessed and controlled by non medical people is something you really have to get used to. Luckily, the job is worth it....

I just joined this web site and saw your post. So, what happened? Are you the IC nurse now?

Hi, Help me understand this: my state uses a staffing company for staffing nurses at some of it's prisons, yet some nurses in the state prison system are state employees. Are state benefits better? (I suspect so, as far as medical, pension and other ...

Ksilty, Thanks for your reply. They let the supervisors work for the state now, instead of the contract company. Happened within the month. So, "that boat left without us," so to speak. Also, from what I've heard, the contract company couldn't staff...