GrannyLpn2005

It is kinda of funny that we are talking about all of this........low and behold I got one in last nite that is trying his darnest to have a seizure.....keep in mind he does have real seizures according to his medical records from the hospital. But he is an ass and has he never been in our facility before......but he is demanding and wants what he wants when he wants it.....last nite he to the booking officers he was hungry and to get him some G-- D---n food now!!!!!! Then when they did get him a sandwich....he got to cussing some more stating he doesn't eat white bread b/c he is diabetic!!!!! I advised him to take the meat off and eat the meat only! Well that went over like a fart in church! Oh well, don't come to jail then you can eat what you want!!!!!! And of course he was trying his best to have a seizure (fake).....He was hollerying like a hurt animal and moving his arms up and down! Well your breathing, you didn't **** on yourself, your not foaming or drooling, your not thrashing around......I guess that was a new kind of seizure!!!!!

I have been at my facility for 7 1/2 years. I have only had (1) real seizure!!!!!! What does that tell ya? I like the sternum rub to the chest.....that seems to get them. I use to use the ammonia caps, but my supervisor stopped any of us, due to someone might be allergic to ammonia! But I liked the advise of the ink pen lid!!!!!!

We pre-pour our meds as well......and mine are sometimes poured by another nurse. I have no issue with any of that because before I go out onto the floor, I always check my pills. I want to make sure they are getting the right meds. To me it does save on time, but I believe it is up to each facility and nurse to determine what is right with them.

I agree.....a new grad should get the experience on a med surg floor for at least one year. That was the advise my nursing instructers gave to all of us before we graduated. I was a pediatric nurse and when I started in our facility one of the CO's thought I had been in corrections all of my nursing......I advised him, I just went from the little kids to the big kids......I have always felt safe, because the CO's are with me at all times when I am dealing with an inmate. The only problem I have with our facility, there are always the cut backs and that causes some anguish. Then on top of all of that we have a Superintendent that has been with us for going on 4 years and he has made everybody's life hell! So morale is always down.....also, the state of Virginia has not approved our budget for this year yet and because of that we have an upcoming staff meeting that everybody is afraid of, because we are wondering who will get laid off! But of course all of the above could happen anywhere.

I agree you need to get with your State Board of Nursing. On the other hand I would think that if you are being hired as a nurse then that would you would be doing. You will have to separate your self from the Police Officer and remember that you are a nurse. I know in our jail when it comes to the HIPAA we are not allowed to give any information to anybody unless we have permission from the inmate. Now on the other hand when we have someone in our medical department cells and they have something going on that is contagious we have to put up a sign that says, "Universal Precautions" So that way the Officers know how to handle the inmate in our Medical Cells. Usually the inmates themselves open their mouths and tell on themselves.......so we don't have too! You will see things in the jail/prison that you won't like, especially when you think that person should be placed somewhere else in the jail or something goes down, like a fight or something gets said to you, you have to learn to keep quiet and let the Officer's handle it and not you! You have a challenge on your hands......Good Luck!

Working as a correctiona nurse has not affected my home life. But of course I have no more children at home, mine are all grown. My husband has been very supportive of me working in the local jail. When I come home in the evenings he always wants to know what happened at work today. The only crap I receive is from my co-workers thinking I am to nice to the inmates. I don't feel that way. I did develope a potty mouth for a while, but I am determined to do the Lords work. I hear a lot of garbage come from inmates and officers mouths, but I give it all to the Lord. I have found now that I no longer have a potty mouth and I very much love my job and wouldn't want to be anywhere else unless the Lord takes me elsewhere. All of my family is very supportive even my children and grandchildren. God is very good to me!

I think you did right! I have the same problem you have where I work also. I am known to the inmates and officers as the nice nurse! I feel I am there for a reason, and to be an advocate for my patients! I know most of the inmates will try to manipulate you, but i'm not stupid! I get mad at times with the inmates, but you have to remember they are human beings also and have feelings like everybody else! We have the same motto, When in dought send them out! I guess I have been very lucky, every inmate that I have sent out, have been very ill! The officers can fuss all they want to, but I have to live with myself and I have to know I did everything that was right by my patient! I worked to hard for my license to lose it for some officer that doesn't want to have to take an inmate to the hospital. I figure they will get over it! You did right!

Hey everyone. I am from a little secuity center that houses only about 250 inmates, male and females. I work 2-12 and I am the only nurse on duty at that time. I would like to get some input on how other nurses handle inmates when they get demanding. I have inmates that come up to my medcart and state, that they have to have their B/P checked right now, because supposedly the a.m. nurse didn't take their B/P. But you don't know if it was taken or not. There is nothing on the pass-on log, and nothing on the MAR, and you don't know if they are telling you the truth or not! Do you take their B/P, or not? You tell me!