Jaila

I agree with deyo. As far as I am aware it is never ok to circle another nurses initials. It should have been passed on to the nurse that you believe made the error &/or call to the MD. I also believe you put yourself in a sticky situation having one inmate translate for the other inmate. We have a translator service we can call. How are you to know you are not intentionally being manipulated or given incorrect information? You may have unintentionally put yourself into an legal/ hippa situation. But as deyo said med errors happen...it sucks, but it is part of it. Don't beat yourself up. We all have made mistakes, or been in situations that we should have handled differently. I believe thats why they say hindsight is 20/20. Just learn from it and move on.

Just one thing to add....the one term I know the officers where I work don't like (and I mean even a little) is guard, or jailer. At least here that is the case. They prefer C.O. or Deputy, or Officer. Just a heads up so you don't offend on accident.

If interested....GOOD LUCK!!!!

We work 10 hr shifts. 1.50 diff for swing & 2.00 for nocs. I have seen new grads hired although they tend to go with experienced nurses. We are salary in that we are required to put in a certain amount of hours...but, we do get paid ot. ( kind of a strange system) Its " salary " ... Kinda / not really. The setting I am in does preceptor local nursing students. I would think all facilities could vary a lot. Best to check with your local facility. Hope this helped

I think you should ask any questions that would make taking this job a deal breaker for you....shift work, pay, benefits, mandatory ot, staffing levels, seniority with regaurd to shift bid, equipment on hand for assessments, etc... As far as what the job entails....it covers the whole spectrum. I think a person can get "burnt out" in any field, nursing or otherwise. There are so many posts on here that you can check out to see if you are interested. I would definitely recommend a tour of the facility and maybe at a busier time for example swings or graveyards when there is typically less support staff (other nurses, doctors, & custody). I personally love it! Check out some of the other posts...and good luck whatever you decide.

We have had a few smart ones even put toothpaste at top of their mouth...the pill ofcourse sticks in it...smart thinking actually for these folks. What won't they think up

I wish you good luck! Honestly it could go either way. Personally I think it would help and not hinder you...but, maybe they want someone they can mold that doesn't already have a mindset or experience with this population. At any rate...Best wishes to you.

Unfortunately where I work we have the very basic equipment for vitals, responder bag/ AED, suction, o2....No EKG, and your assessment skills. We don't have a doc in house (at night) but can reach him by phone (most times) when needed. Ofcourse we have the authority to send an inmate out to er by ambulance or car without an md order. From what I understand a lot of jails or prisons have much more available in the way of equipment. Good luck! I have said it many times but it is a great job. Let us know what happens.

Interesting how one sided you view things in not only corrections but the medical care inmates receive. If you had personal experience in being a nurse responsible for peoples lives, or working somewhere in corrections I think your opinions would be different and more realistic. But you continue to make broad generalizations based on your clearly biased research. For now I think you are someone who has nothing but time on your hands to do a little reading and then sit back judging others on something when you have no actual qualifications to do so. It has all just turned into blah blah blah...enough said!

I have never (yet) felt that I had to justify having sent someone out and it turned out in the end they were ok. And I would agree good documentation is key. I do my job to the best of my ability for not only liability reasons but inmates health--that is my job. I work alone on nights and with very limited equipment I have to rely greatly on assessment skills. In those situations ( and there are times when you just can't know for sure ) where it is a potentially dangerous scenario for the inmate and I can't be certain (doubt) then I do send them out. There have also been times when I have placed a call to the MD and reviewed the inmate complaint, my assessment findings, anything I didn't look at that they think is key?...and let them make the call. Having to defend to someone that I sent an inmate out seems absurd to me. I imagine it would really get my hackles up. Now that said, at the department I work at they don't like you sending out for other than emergencies. You have to be comfortable with saying this can wait til morning or this can't.

It doesn't sound like we are any cleaner, maybe even dirtier although I have not worked in prison setting only county jail. As far as safety I never doubt my officers ability or desire to keep me safe. I am soooo well protected it's amazing....I mean to even look at me cross eyed will get you flunked in booking. Paperwork is everywhere...literally because where I am at we don't have emr yet so everything by hand and lots of cya paperwork.

lol...the cleanliness part of your question made me laugh a little. Jail is the dirtiest place I have ever worked! People right in off the streets in poor health that are intox/high peuking and urinating wherever in their holding cells. Lots of open wounds/ abscesses with our drug users....lots of mrsa. Dt'ers doing crazy things. Then you get your injuries, people that have tried to run from the police &/or their dog or been in altercation with someone. Suicidal and mental health cases. We see such a variety of things I couldn't even begin to list them all. But just when you think you have seen it all...you get something new. It is fun and ever changing. Lots of inmate turnover but also lots of frequent flyers that you get to know with time like it or not. Our county jail doesn't use a contract company. We are all county employees with good benefits for medical, dental, life, pension. Hope some of this information is helpful...have fun!

Amen to everything Orca said...nicely put. Eyes open, head on straight, good assesment skills, good / fair attitude...you are not the judge and jury... Good luck it's awesome fun!

Pass.. Don't need it

I don't know of that particular facility, but...where I work we have interview, oral boards, integrity interview, physical, lie detector...the whole canole, then the job offer. Took about 3 to 4 months to jump all those hoops. No idea if you have to go through that, but hang in there...and a follow up email or call to express continued interest couldn't hurt.

they crush and snort it where I work...first time I heard it I was baffled. What they won't snort...lol

pepto and phenergan supp bid x 2 days definitely not as critical as the etoh w/d, then we use librium

I make 30/hr at a county jail. I would not suggest it as necessarily the place to start out without experience. In county jail you are getting folks in just off the streets..."hardened" criminals as well. Many of these folks just in off the streets, or on the outs don't care for themselves..not always in "stable condition"...your assessment skills in this setting need to be top notch. Not saying it cant be done as a new grad...its just my 2 cents worth. good luck

And for those that might imply it isn't the nurse place or the doctors place to question if someone is truly in pain or not....I know the teaching pain is what the pt says it is....but doctors have been sued for "getting" people hooked on narcs. And like if or not we are in a very drug manipulated world.

I worked in a fam practice years ago...the pts on chronic pain meds, lost their scripts, drug seekers,etc all had to make office visit for med refills. Needless to say if he declined (and he knew they were seekers), then they found a new doc and there went business out the door. Many doctors are business oriented.

P.S. Wouldn't trade correctional nursing for anything...love it!

Not interviewed there, but that said not all the questions will be safety related. When I intvw for current job there was two lt's and a nurse. They asked situational type questions....response calls what do you do?, which call do you go to first, what if you meet officer resistance during a call?,etc...They may challenge you as they did me and try to see if you will change your response....Don't. These places don't want wishy washy nurses...they need a direct answer now! They don't have for the most part any medical background and need you to direct the scene. Make sure your skills where they need to be. As the only nurse on a night shift I can tell you things get ugly quick, be prepared....GOOD LUCK!

Wow...well I have never been treated with anything but respect by "my guys". Now maybe that was a bit different when I first started and they were wondering if they trusted me or not...but even then they were always polite! There will always be those that think you shouldn't make mire than them. There has been those discussions come up where I work. One night one of "their own" said in return to the other officer, "so if you had put all that money into college we shouldn't pay you more". Coming from one of "them" it ended it pretty quick. But I am also quick to give credit where credit is due....my guys & girls keep me safe! They are as I call them ( meaning guys and girls ), my band of brothers. They treat me no different, and maybe a little better. Now perhaps you work in a bad environment...but have you made the effort that you need to...to show them the respect you are asking for?

Congratulations to you both. Make sure you remember all those things when you have a foot in the door....for many it isn't what you expect, and don't like it....the rest of it know it ROCKS!!!! Congrats!

Wow unbelievable! Something like this has never happened where I work that I am aware of. But I have a really good working relationship with my sgt ( who is the highest rank we have on nights), and all it would take is a radio call from me to get the situation handled. Unreal that your officer was so lazy or "whatever" about it. We also have the numbers of higher ranking officers on hand for other questions/ situations... But wow is all I can think to say. Good luck to you whatever the outcome...have you taken it any further??