monylo32

@John Redd yes I believe they asked for three

@teejay323 Yep Im still at RJD! I really still do enjoy the job!! Corrections was a great choice for me. I spoken to a lot of RNs that work here that came from the Hospital and they all wish they would have started here, only because the benefits are great and too your are not prone to get as burned out as you would with bedside nursing, both physically and mentally. Im mostly in the Clinic, which can be busy but a good place to work. Wow so your program was pushed back until next year? Is it a community college or a private school?

CONGRATS!! What institution?

@Overcast with cdcr they actually put you where they need you. If there is an opening for the TTA (er) and you do have experience you can request to be put there but it’s really where they need you, but there seems to be overtime in the TTA so you can get a chance to work there. There is some downtime and some days that are busier than others but keep in mind they do get a lot of codes called and 95% of the time turn out being b.s but that means charting so in between calls they are charting.

This is great feedback! Do you wear scrubs? What do they go to the clinic for? Band aids? What happens when someone gets seriously injured and needs a full on trauma save? I’ve seen prisoners in my hospital before, but what happens if they are released but the Dr says he still needs pain meds? How often are you actually performing hospital type duties? How many prisoners per yard? So you’re there with a dentist or hygienist? Are there anydoctors on duty? I heard the dementia rate in prisoners is rising and some prisons are putting other prisoners to work to care for them because there’s no funding for care for them. What exactly is your daily routine? Do you chill in the yard office all shiftwaiting for someone to come in with a need for the nurse? A band aids? What exactly do you do there? I think thissounds awesome and am veryinterested. Are there other nurses covering nights and weekends? Did you mention previously that you work at a jail or a prison? State or fed pension plan? Is it 20-25 years and then pension? Or is it just a matching of a 401K? Apologies for all the questions....thank you so much again! @Overcastyes I wear scrubs. Inmates come for infection pain issues cuts wound care. If there is a trauma they sound medical code and the TTA (ER) nurses come and take him to the er room we have and if unstable they send him to hospital. When they come back and need meds especially IVs they go to our little hospital that we have until they are well enough to go back to they housing units. You are using more assessment skills than anything in the clinic sometimes you have to do to wound care and pack wounds or some guys have foleys you have to change. You really don’t deal with IVs unless you are in the mini hospital or tta (ER). There are doctors in every medical area some of them are on call for after hours. I wouldn’t know what to tell you about the dementia inmates we don’t have them in our prison. I want to say then get transferred to a state hospital memory care unit. The yard where I am is pretty chill so I have a line everyday for the most part you giving pain pills Or scheduling then on the doctors line for another day. yes other RNs cover the night shift. You have three different watches and all need medical coverage. Yes I worked at a state prison before so it’s state pension. You have a pension and a optional 401k. Before you can retire at 55 and receive your pension but new employees Have to work past 55 not sure what age To be able to retire.

@sunshinedgood luck!

@Overcast each yard has a indoor clinic shared with dental so inmates are seen there for medical and dental needs. As far as mandating yes they can, have I been mandated yet, no LOL. You are never outside thou, all the work you do as nurses is within closed quarters (in office). Thankfully are covid cases are low only because we stopped a lot of movement and transfers within inmates plus staff is daily temp checked. As far as full time pay it’s 8500/month but keep in mind they take out close to 3k for taxes and pension. Hope this helps?

Update!! @sunshined So I started back in the beginning of March. My orientation was 12 weeks so by the time I finished orientation I felt comfortable being on my own. Although I still go to my peers or soup when I need help. I was placed on one of the yards as a clinic nurse M-F 8-4 with S/S off. Too be honest I love my job and the schedule...corrections is for me and I know that where I want to finish out. Something different to see everyday and the inmates always keep it interesting and entertaining LOL. They give us RNs a lot of autonomy. It is a bit intimidating at first but the 12 weeks of training you become used to how things are ran and the system used to chart. I started out in a limited term position but just last month was rolled over to permanent. Some would say correctional nurses aren’t nurses but we are. Our setting is just different than the traditional bedside nurse. I know it is not for everyone but I’m glad I choose nursing in corrections?

Good luck! The interview process was not that bad; had a total of ten questions. 3 questions were senario based (chest pain; overdose and spider bite) the other were more about you and why nursing as a career.

Hey how did it go?

@sunshinehauseI’d be proactive and call the HR in healthcare for that facility. I too called and she was able to give me an update. I know the state likes transparency so if you were honest with your background and your license situation its not always a bad thing but it may take long for them to decide whether they want to hire you or not.

@sunshinehause so I had an interview January 9 and by January 31st I was offered the job. Where did you apply and interview?

A couple days, especially if you have a clean background! Good luck!!!

The 200 questionnaire and the cvs are done on separate days. My background was done after the questionnaire and completed by the time I did my cvs.

I applied to sd county correctional . After the initial interview, id say like 2 weeks later I answered a 200 question background questionnaire. So with the county they make you take a certified voice stress (cvs) test as part of the requirement for hire. Before the cvs you answer 200 questions regarding and history of stealing, abuse, drugs, fraud, marriage, child Media, public sex. They want to know it all lol. Felt a bit intrusive but oh well. The whole point of the cvs is to see if you’re lying about your past and present life. The questions and cvs test are done on separate days. When I took and passed the cvs I was finger Printed then a couple days after offered a job contingent I pass tb and physical.

@overcast I’ll keep updating you!! Man second semester seems like just yesterday! You’ll be surprised how fast the program goes and before you know it you’ll be graduated and licensed! Wait so do you attend USC?

@Teejay323 @Overcast Update! OK guys last I told you I got the job for the limited term intermittent position that has no benefits, well two weeks ago I applied to a limited term full time (LT /FT )position that became available and yesterday I got a call from HR asking me if I wanted to start LT/FT. I was like yes! The LT/ FT has benefits and set RDO’s. The limited term last two years and then rolls over to permanent so hence if they like you they can roll you over but I’m not waiting that long I’m going to apply for a permanent position as soon as it becomes available!

@Teejay323 I’ll keep you updated. Yes these last few months the positions have been limited term but they told me to keep an eye out because the perm ft will be posted and once they do I just need to apply and then they can roll me over. Good luck with your studies!!!

@Overcastwhen I said I took the exam it wasn’t the nclex but the exam for the state to be able to rank and apply. The nclex I didn’t take until early November. As far as nclex you’re better off waiting till all your classes are done because your school is the one to send in your transcripts showing you completed the program and deemed ready to test. I applied to BRN to take test early September and was notified by BRN by mid October That I could schedule an exam date which I did and took it three weeks after that.

@overcast @Teejay323 UPDATE!!! Ok so I told you guys I had applied/interviewed for both the county of San Diego jail facility and CDCR state prison (RJ Donovan). Yesterday I got a call from both offering me jobs!!! I have decided to go with the state. The position I applied for w/ the state is limited term intermittent meaning it’s not permanent, no benefits and I can only work so many hours a year where as the county would be full time with benefits. I know it sounds crazy going to the state but in the end the state for ME is a better choice a lot of this limited intermittent positions can be rolled over to permanent especially when I apply for those positions as they become available. Also the pay is better. Anyways just wanted to let you guys know!

@Teejay323ill keep you updated. As far as application interview process I had taken the rn exam back in April when I was still in my fourth semester And passed with an 85. As far as applying learned that If I wasn’t licensed my application wouldn’t get processed for interview until I had the license. Once I got licensed back in Early November I immediately Applied for the Rn position they had available and heard back from them late December that I had an interview for early January which was today. They said they would let me know within 30 days of a decision but it probably going to be sooner than that if I am picked contingent I pass background @Overcasti graduated from Palomar college in norther county of San diego

@OvercastI had my interview today at RJ Donovan (state prison) and it went well I had 7 question 3 of which were scenario based questions. It was a two person panel interview where two supervising RNs where the ones interviewing me. They did stress that working any shifts and being mandated at times to stay overtime where part of the job and if I was ok with that. As a new nurse with student loan debt umm yes I’m ok with that lol. One of the gals that I know works there and she told me that nurse there are dropping like flies because some are retiring some are moving and most are contracted and their contract With the state has ended. FYI?

Thanks!! I don’t have my bsn yet but with state and county jobs they are hiring those with an adn. So I applied to the county jails but also to the state prison. As you already know the federal jobs do require BSN. Honestly my resume I don’t think stuck out that much. Corrections is an environment not many want to work so that’s why they don’t shy away from new grads.

Hey well I applied with the state as a new grad back in early November and I have an interview next week. I also interviewed last month with the county of San Diego to work at one of their correctional facilities and moved on to the second phase of the hiring process...so to answer your question yes they do hire new grads

From what I’ve been told they are 8 hour shifts with possible required overtime but apparently you can find someone to swap with and end up doing 16,8,16 with four days off