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Discussion

Sensing stigma

I am a new grad, about to start orienting for a county jail RN position. The company that runs the medical program has a great rep and does a very thorough training program for new grads. This is actually an area of nursing that interests me, and the hours suit me as I complete my BSN. The only downside, is that other nurses and fellow new grads give the strangest look when I say where I'm going to be working, feels very elitist. I'd like to hear from others as to how they handle this, and if I'm going to run into the same situation when I apply for other positions in a year or two.

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    Congrats on graduation and I assume passing NCLEX. Good for you for having a direction. When I graduated Corrections was the last thing on my list. Then last year some volunteer work took me into the local jail and I had conversations with a couple of the nurses there and recently a nurse recruiter. I am completely embarrased about having had such a closed mind towards the work.

    It absolutely is an amazing opportunity for you. It is an incredibly worthy pursuit. However, I do believe it is not for everyone. Hopefully they don't think you are being elitist. If they are elitist, let them be. The same happens when some acute care nurses come across clinic nurses. I heard an acute care nurse say at a conference she didn't think a clinic nurse would have critical thinking skills. People will think what they will think.

    I recently applied to our State's DOC and some people think I am bonkers. Including some fellow nurses. That is OK.

    Good luck and rock on!

    DV

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    DOlce Vita RN,

    Thanks for the encouragement- the attitude isn't going to deter me, and frankly I think I'm going to hone my assessment skills to a razor's edge, and I'll really get time management down, in this situation. I hate that nurses can be so judgmental- especially about something they know nothing about! But I am concerned about the next nurse recruiter I have to deal with, having that attitude and not accepting the experience I gain in correctional nursing as valid.

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    DOlce Vita RN,

    Thanks for the encouragement- the attitude isn't going to deter me, and frankly I think I'm going to hone my assessment skills to a razor's edge, and I'll really get time management down, in this situation. I hate that nurses can be so judgmental- especially about something they know nothing about! But I am concerned about the next nurse recruiter I have to deal with, having that attitude and not accepting the experience I gain in correctional nursing as valid.

    Assuming you choose to leave corrections--you may love it so much you stick with it!

    If you sense attitude from a recruiter, that is the perfect time to explain how corrections requires amazing versatility, flexibility, organizational skill, interpersonal skills, and the ability to think on your feet and go from treating toenail fungus to "some guy in sheet-metal shop had an accident--should we get some ice for the hand?" in one second flat.:D

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    Thank you for the encouragement, I'm really so excited about this venture, and I'm not a young nurse, so I don't think I'll have a problem with the boundary issue.

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