aknurs

Ditto Safety first! I have seen to many inmates who have faked fainting, etc....to get out of their cells...I worked in an ER in the past & I have seen fakers there also..inmates just refine the technique...Not to say there are not "true emergencies"...But Safety is always first..

In my facility,,Medical does not get involved with strip searches, never.... Only security...as they are the ones looking for contraband..etc

I think how busy you are on nights, would depend on the ratio of prisoners/nurses...I am the only night nurse with a little over 500 inmates...I am "very busy" at night..They only time I sit down & do not answer an almost constant ringing phone, is to take my supper break. I do have my radio with me in case an emergency arises, while I am having supper. In an emergency I am the only one there..so nights can be more busy than days...just depends..I forgot to add...I love working nights.....cause I'm the Queen of the Night ! LOL

I worked in an ER for 7-8 years prior to Corrections. The hospital I worked in, had a Hospital Based Ambulance Service, that covered 5 counties...So although small in comparison to other ER's, we were busy & saw a lot of different emergencies.

I think you pretty well hit the nail on the head!....

Alaska has one of the highest rate/cases of TB..In my institution we have a population of 500 + inmates, we do PPD testing every month (on the inmates birth month) to keep up with TB. Although we have , had the occasional positive PPD, results,(which we treat, with medication)I have not seen an active case in the time I have been here. We do have one Seg cell in Medical that has Negitive/Positve pressure ,in the need every arrises..

In some prisons there are different turn-around as far as intakes go, of course this is depending on the institution. (We usually get 2-3 groups of inmates going out & coming in 3x wkly,of course that's tentative)..If you get stressful with emergencies, than maybe a prison would not be for you, as there will be the occasional beating, stabbing , rapeing & you name it, to come along, just when you sit down on your coffee break..As far as a safe place to work, to me it is safer than the ER I used to work in..I know who the bad guys are, & I work with exceptional correctional officers, who look out for me, as much as I look out after myself.

Defiantly ER experience will be the best...Depending upon the size of the Prison, you never know what will be brought into the department, ie: beatings, stabbings, medical emergencies, etc...Although it is on a smaller scale than a regular ER, you will need to use the same triage assessments, & care ,accordingly as you would in an ER....Plus ER experience will look better on a Resume if you are applying for a Correctional Job, as prompt triage & assesment skills are a must when working in Corrections.JMO