Aurora

Let me guess --- Atascadero?

You poor baby. You sound just like me 13 years ago. I thought nursing was about caring for the sick and dying, too -- not giving patients a lick and a prayer and hurrying off to finish paperwork and chase down labs and supplies. Unfortunately, I decided I had to stay the course with nursing. It has never gotten better. I think rad tech might be a good choice, if it appeals to you. If you can afford to work in a doctor's office -- that is a job that can be an entry to research nursing (especially if you can get a job in a specialty office). Research nursing can be far more interesting, personal and leisurely. One of the new grad nurses who started with me 13 years ago also quit after two months. She went straight off to get an Occupational Therapy degree. OT doesn't interest me, but I sure admired her decisiveness. Also, she was as young as you are and did what she needed to do while she had the ability to do it.

Genuine respect is respect given for admirable character, speech, actions and accomplishments. Not out of fear and intimidation and/or manipulation and deceit. I do not alter my care. That's kind of the point. I treat inmate patients like other patients --- because I have self-respect. They are my patients. I am their nurse. If they are manipulating, I tell them why they are not going to get what they are after. If they need something, I do my best to provide care within my scope of practice.

My inmates come to me because they call me "the real nurse." Nevertheless, it is ironic that respect is so important to them. It is also easy to understand why. They have never received any genuine respect. Thus they define respect in ways peculiar to inmates.

It's all very well to advise "be consistent"; however inmates generally have limited intelligence, despite their manipulative prowess. Therefore, many times, do not understand why one patient is treated/medicated differently than another. Specifically, they don't always get it that a nurse knows one is genuinely ill and the other is trying to mimic symptoms. Then they think they have been treated unequally and unfairly. So consistency yes, but apply with professional integrity.

Respect -- ironic, isn't it?

Arizona is like Texas, as you described it. California is a strange, strange world where the inmates run things, but at the same time they don't. I suppose because the CDC is such a behemoth and so slow and disorganized. . . I prefer Arizona, but the lack of care for inmates troubles me. I have also worked a prison on the East Coast and found it loose as far as custody goes -- like you say it is in Georgia.

I have never heard of it in California, Virginia or Arizona (natcherly) prisons. Seems like a custody issue to me. Theoretically, the COs are responsible for protecting the inmates from danger and harm. What is medical supposed to do about it? You can't tell a CO anything much --- makes the stupid ones extra mad and uncooperative.

The addresses for the Maricopa County Jails are: 3225 W. Durango 102 W. Madison St. 3127 W. Gibson Lane It seems to be south of the 10 where 17 curves and turns into the 60, if I am remembering the numbers of the highways right. I will check into an extended stay, but I am coming from the East Coast -- not really an option to go home on weekends. I have seen a few places where I can get a three month lease, but I don't have any sense of where anything is over there. I lived in Mesa, for a short time, but that doesn't help me now. Thanks for answering so promptly.

i have agreed to work at the maricopa county detention center for 13 weeks. can anyone direct me to safe, relatively clean housing that is not more than a half hour commute from the durango complex? i don't care about fancy or trendy --- just as gang-free as possible and still close-ish to work. thank you so much![/font]

No slight intended. I guess saying it is simple sounds like an insult, but I only meant that teachers and textbooks can really complicate it and muddy the waters. I regret becoming a nurse. It has more to do with the culture of nursing than taking care of sick people.

My first recommendationis ALWAYS to stay out of nursing. However, when it comes to biology, try to think of the organism in a mechanical way. Anatomy and physiology are easier that way -- structure=function and function=structure. And I know it is irrelevant at this point -- it's just that it frustrates me that anyone should have difficulty with anything so simple as blood circulation. And I know it is because it is not being explained well.

Are you nuts? Atascadero is ghastly! Not that I have ever been there, but I have worked in two California prisons and heard very scary stories. Worked with one psych tech who had been at Atascadero for years -- her fiance was severely injured by a patient/inmate. She had transferred to our prison because she was just not willing to deal with the lax security and physical risk. So -- it depends on you and what you find . . .fulfilling . . .and acceptable.

I interviewed at Bullhead City in the summer of 1997. It is small and hotter than H__L. :angryfire I didn't take the job, but that was because of family considerations. Nevada has no state income tax so it might be advantageous to live in Lauglin, if possible.

We all have to do our part to stem the tide. And, as you know, everything is The Nurse's responsibility. (I am sort of joking and sort of not.)

you are a tiger! go get em! i was going to do a travel gig in bakersfield, but looks like i have gotten a permanent position in tucson. oh, boy! good luck to you. em

Actually, I was joking about calling Donna Dorsey at home. Barbara Mikulski's contact information can be obtained on-line. I expect I will be going up to Baltimore next week and my daughter lives near Reisterstown Mall where the BON is located. Is there something I might do to help? I will probably be coming to California myself in the next two weeks. Emily

Have you tried calling Donna Dorsey at home? You could try one of the state senators. Barbara Mikulski is usually responsive. The MD BON has screwed up every license they have issued to me, even when I physically went to the office on Patterson.

Sounds pretty standard. I wish I had good advice. Well, I do have good advice, but can't follow it myself. Don't let the disrespectful, surly, uncooperative guards make your blood boil. They are stupid, ignorant and insecure. What are you going to do? You can't change them so you have to change your reaction to them. Most situations in correctional health care are not an emergency and do not really require speed --- so try to chill out. I think the words "lawsuit" and "liability" can be useful when you do need a swift response and follow-through. But I would be very interested in advice from others who do not get themselves tied in knots over those stupid guards! Or -- in the California prison system -- those infernal MTAs.

They are advertising and I am wondering whether anyone can tell me something about the facility in Anne Arundel Country, Maryland. Thanks

They are advertising and I am wondering whether anyone can tell me something about the facility in Anne Arundel Country, Maryland. Thanks

Thanks, I appreciate the info. My sister and I are both seriously considering a move to Boise.

Can you at least tell us what state this jail is in? I am looking for another correctional job and I don't want to wind up in a state where the jail guards are as stupid as the ones you deal with. They're always pretty dumb, but geeeez!

The only thing demanding about nursing school is that it is taught by nurses and they don't have any idea how to teach. The lectures are baffling and the test questions are stupid. Usually there is one instructor who knows what she/he is doing and you have that to lean on. If you have an average IQ,there is nothing to it. Nursing is not an intellectually demanding subject. Read your text books and try to find a competent nurse to guide and explain. Everybody stay calm -- I am not saying there are no areas of nursing that are intellectually challenging and I'm not saying that nursing itself is easy.

i don't currently have an insane manager, but the outstanding example from the past was a don in ltc. she informed me one day that the pharmacist had called and wanted to know why we (i) had ordered (faxed) darvocet for a patient who was allergic to codeine. i said, "huh? darvocet doesn't contain codeine." to which she did not reply -- but i then knew she was a liar and, apparently, out to cause me trouble. i resigned.