Susanville, CA prison question?

mixyplixy · Nov 17, 2006

The web site info is hard and sketch to understand? Can't even understand your question! CA corrections is complicated because they were just taken over by the Feds. All the benifits are on line. No social securty taken out...and medical staff are getting a salary increase at the end of the year. The test for RN is taken on line, so go on line and check the whole thing out as much as you can. Getting someone on the phone to explain it all is impossible.

fiestynurse · Nov 25, 2006

Why not apply for a nursing position at the Washoe County jail in Reno? A very nice facility and great staff!

tirzo13 · Dec 5, 2006

Im a LVN working at a california prison, i will take the RN boards in a few weeks.

at the prison here, RN's make about 8k a month with salary and retention rates.

next year, i should get paid $100K as a prison RN, and yes that is as a new grad!

retirement is 2.5% at 55.

meaning you can collect at 55.

the 2.5% means per year, you get 2.5% of your salary, and it takes 5 years to be vested, so after 5 years, you would get 12.5%, and at 10 you would get 25%.

california prison retirement is one of the best in the country.

if you work in the clinic, you work 10 hour shifts, 4 days a week, meaning you have 3 day weekends, either friday/saturday/sunday, or sat/sun/mon off!!!

if you work in the CTC, kind of the prison hospital, you work 12s, and will rotate weekends, or if you are new, work the weekends depending on your post position, so the clinic is the way to go.

I hear people say they enjoy the work, i don't know who these people are, or where they work, nobody in any prison i have worked at enjoy's the work, we simply enjoy the pay, and that it is easier than the outside.

surgnurse26 · Dec 5, 2006

I talk to a recriuter for the department and here is what she said.

My base salary will start at 6600 a month, I have no idea about these retention bonuses, but do now you will recieve a 4000 bonus over the course of the year. She told me the nurses top out at 8000 a month, but not to start. I will be a new grad nurse as of this week. What can you tell me about these retention bonuses, are they given through your career. Also what is the max percentage that you can retire at, here in nevada, it was 75% with 30 years in.

As far as hours, what is CTC Tirzo, what does it stand for? She told me she worked 8 hous and would sometimes double the shifts to have more days off. The recruiter and I still don't know the hours that nurses have up in susanville prisons. I wouldn't mind 10s though.

Can you break the 8000 a month starting salary for me because that sound like alot for a new grad, like i said she said 6600 a month, i want to know where the extra 1400 is coming from? thanks

tirzo13 · Dec 6, 2006

The CTC is correctional treatment center, its kind of like a mini hospital within the prison.

then you have the yard clinics.

ctc you work like a hospital, 24 hours.

yard clinics have clinic type hours, with 3 day weekends.

her CTC may do 8 hours, but ours do 12.

Not sure i can break down the salary for sure, my boss tells me i will be making 9000 a month, as a new grad, and that is what all the other nurses tell me.

the 6600 is right, but the various prisons will have different retention bonus.

this is not something you get for your career, its a monthly bonus.

they can take it away at any time, as if there was a million nurses they would take it away, but its a recruitment tool. does not have any bearing on your retirement salary.

your retirement is based on your base salary, so say you get $2000 a month R/R, that won't count.

Salinas is hiring me at the max rate, i know san diego and san luis are also at max rate.

i understood that all prisons started at max rate because of the shortage, but i only know for sure the 3 prisons i stated.

maybe susanville is not.

but not all prisons pay the same due to different R/R.

salinas pays the most.

I think max retirement is 75%, but not sure.

I know 8000 (really 9000 for salinas) sounds like a lot, but it's a prison, and its the area.

In san francisco i will start at $42/hr plus as a new grad in most hospitals.

prisons may more, and in salinas, we get paid the best of the prisons.

90-110,000 sounds like a lot, well it is, but that is what we will get paid, and yes, as new grads.

i know that there are NP's outside of prison that are not even making 80K.

I know super ICU nurses that know everything that are not making 60K in the public.

But a dummy like me as a new grad will make $100K right off the bat.

I ain't saying its fair, but it is what it is.

jorgeaflores · Dec 6, 2006

Tirzo,

Thanks for your help.

I have a few questions... I too am a new graduate interested in corrections.

My first question is, as a new grad I dont have any experience, do the prisons offer an orientation (nursing, not just prison protocol)? Or do they assume you know the specifics of a job? I only know what I learned in school and during my preceptorship in the E.R.

Thank your for your help.

Jorge

jorgeaflores · Dec 6, 2006

Also, do you know which facilites offer 12 hour shifts? Where specifically in the prison?

live in southern california, are there any places that have 12 hours shifts near los angeles? Chino, lancaster, corona???

thanks

tirzo13 · Dec 7, 2006

you won't get a long orientation like some hospitals, after my girlfriend graduated she got a 18 week orientation at one hospital, quit and then got another 18 week orientation at another hospital.

at the prison you will get about 2 weeks.

but the job is brainless.

straight up, i was the bottom of the class at school, i'm not the super nurse, but i make more money then them.

pretty much there are 2 places you will work in the prison.

1. a clinic.

2. The CTC, which is similar to a small hospital, but more like a SNF and Clinic combo.

anything complicated gets sent out to the local hospitals.

you will mostly give shots, give meds, triage, make referrals, note MD orders, argue with inmates, and collect a huge check.

tirzo13 · Dec 7, 2006

as a new grad they will put you in the CTC or Yard clinic.

I'm a new grad, and i wanted the surgical position at the mens colony at SLO, they said no, i needed experiance for that.

but thats pretty much it, othewise they don't care if you are a new grad.

they really can't be picky.

not alot of nurses, not alot of nurses who want to work in a prison, not alot of nurse who stay once they get hired.

that is why they have to pay a premium to us.

jorgeaflores · Dec 7, 2006

thanks a lot bro.

Salinas sounds cool, but I have a friend who is a CO out there, and he says that there isnt much to do around there. Oh well..

VegRN · Dec 8, 2006

OMG, I work in the midwest in a hospital prison unit and I make about 5,000 /mo before taxes for 36 hours/wk which is nothing compared to what you guys are talking about.

I am so jealous of your pay! If I ever move out west, I will be looking for a job in the prison system, that is for sure.

Good for you guys!