Anne128

I forwarded all of Tbrds posts to a friend of a friend who is FBI and specializes in Statement Analysis. He believes highly that this poster is female. For what it's worth, just sayin'.

Thanks for the reply. The reason I asked about cleanliness is that my brother's friend is a CO in a state prison and he says it's the nastiest, dirtiest place on earth..and it stinks to high heaven. They have inmates being moved to different cells all the time and the cells are rarely cleaned (he says maybe twice a year!). Even though I know jails are filled with a variety of grossness too, I was wondering if at the county jail level where it is smaller, and there is a faster turnaround of inmates, that cleaning procedures are better (or even exist!) ...at least to minimize some of the stink and contamination. Having never worked in a jail or prison, I am trying to find out the differences in both. Neither environment will be shangri-la, but is one a better choice over the other? Are staff assaulted more at the prison or jail level statistically, or equally so? Pay differences from county to state level. State jobs are notorious for mounds of paperwork and forms and inefficient processes, does county function the same way?

Before or after I carped my pants? I would have to be cool and cooperate until things should take a turn for the worst. Then I would have to break out my ninja skills and hope for the best.

Has anyone here worked both county jail and state prison? I would be interested to know the differences. Is the county system more organized and efficient than state processes? How much less is the pay between state and county usually (a little less or significantly less?) Work conditions better or worse in a jail or prison? (safety, cleanliness) Thanks!

I agree.. time to stop feeding the trolls.

Get a grip Tbrd- I misread your question.. I thought your question was "all you would do is document?" I said absolutely not in response. Take a deep breath. Enough already. You should find a bleeding hearts offender advocate board to rant and rave about the injustices on.. clearly you are barking up the wrong tree here in a forum of professional nurses that actually have experience in corrections. Your silence in regard to your credentials answered my question. Thanks.

Absolutely not. I would have no fear reporting up until someone in authority responded. While this story is quite heinous and absurd.. you are still taking the fork in the road and are not answering my questions I asked of you. Credentials. Your direct experience in corrections. Thanks in advance.

So Tbrd, you are not a nurse? You have chosen not to reveal your credentials that give you expertise in the correctional setting. Hummph. I wasn't asking for your name, company, city or for a blood or urine sample. I would think you should feel free to share a general area of practice that qualifies you.. besides being a "humanist". I am genuinely interested in what your general correctional experience is, and how your ideology has worked for you in that setting. Clergy? Social work? I am a bit suspicious that you feel the need to withold that information. No offense, but I can't help but think you are actually a NEW female corrections nurse that thinks she will revolutionize correctional healthcare... I may be wrong..but in all honesty, that is all I hear when I read your posts.

And..you still have not answered the most frequently asked question.. Have you worked in corrections, if so, in what capacity and for how long? Thanks in advance.

I applied for several as well and received responses by mail within a month or so. I declined a few and have decided that if I do accept a position it will be in the county jail setting rather than prison. I understand the county process takes longer for some reason. I talked with a nurse that worked county and she said it took about 4 months! Wish me luck..just waiting to hear news on the next step.

TBRD- In response to your questions- YES. It would absolutely make a difference to me as to whether you have worked in corrections or not, and whether you are a newbie or seasoned in the correctional setting. I am not so sure your "bleeding heart" (as you self-described in another post), humanistic approach is being validated as a sensible or appropriate foundation of practice in correctional nursing by other seasoned correctional nurses here. Being a seasoned hospital nurse without any corrections experience, knowing your background as well would be an essential key for me to weigh and balance the value of your ideology vs. the ideology of those with stated experience. You sound much more sympathetic than empathetic, which is a danger zone. I also agree that correctional nurses focus on medical issues and assess for needed referrals out to other professionals. (ie: psyche, social workers, clergy etc.) Perhaps your wholistic, emotional approach (which is valuable in other settings) would not be truly an asset in corrections. Just a guess, but is your background in public health or hospital admin? Both? Any responses?

Question to TBRD450- Several posters have asked if you are new to corrections and I noticed you opted not to answer that question. As a prospective new Corrections Nurse, it would be valuable to me to know if you are in fact new or seasoned in this setting? While your evaluation of the role of a nurse or a self described "humanist" in corrections is interesting, my hinky meter says you may be new to this field. Do you work in a jail or a prison? For how long?

That's good to hear. I wish I knew what facility the OP were talking about..

It is beginning to sound like this inappropriate behavior from staff is common in corrections. That just blows me away. I am so having second thoughts about pursuing the offer any further. If the CO's can be manipulated into chit like this, how SAFE are they really keeping you?

Thanks for the responses. I am hoping most of the staff are professionals and very few are the 'misbehaving' types. Ay yi yi. Unbelievable. Apologies for my last post...it DOES sound snarky now that I read it.. not intended..

That is a very vague answer to my very specific questions. Is this the best answer out there to my specific questions??

Newbie soon to Norcal corrections. Any advice would be appreciated. I am concerned with any potential common staff issues to watch for as a newbie and some advice as to how to get through that step. Is it hard to break in as a new staff member? I am less worried about the inmates! (it's a given the inmates are high risk..guards up, no problem) I guess I really want to know what the nursing culture is like.. The ideal for myself would be to JUST to be safe, to deliver the best medical care, and ignore the rest of the drama. Is this possible in the prison setting? Prison nurses get so much negative publicity, which cannot be true across the board. Are good nurses welcomed in general or dismayed upon by a negative nurse culture?

Well, considering the fact I will be starting in corrections soon, this news is very unsettling. At this point, I have been more concerned about the staff than the inmates. I know the inmates will be under the umbrella of universal precautions for safety...but I am concerned as to what the staff will be like. I wonder how I will fit in. I have been a critical care RN for 23 years, am in my 40's, and am sooo ready for a change from hospital BS. I consider myself pretty flexible, upfront, excellent assesment skills and have a fine tuned BS meter. This combination of skills has not served me well in the private sector, as I have pretty low tolerance for manipulative behavior and the "customer is always right" in the management model of nursing care in hospital. I believe my skills in the prison setting will be reflected as fair, firm, consistent and professional.. what can I expect to find in the staff around me? I'm skeered. Please..someone tell me what the best interpersonal path to take in order to be accepted by staff and mostly to be efficient in delivering optimum medical care in the prison setting. Any advice from old timers out there?