texas prisons

[Strawberrykool]

Has anyone worked at Huntsville Tx prison? What was it like?

[katkonk, BSN, RN]

Has anyone worked at Huntsville Tx prison? What was it like?

I did, and they were not my favorite. Better elsewhere, but there are several in Huntsville, and it depends on which ones. Avoid Estelle, unless you are experienced and can hold your own. Be ready to float over to the inpatient/long term care part if you work at Estelle. Another facility (believe it was Walls unit) had a nurse manager that told me that while doing the insulin line for 80 inmates, I could not sit down. She wanted me to stand for the one and one half hours+ to get everyone through. We routinely sat down behind a counter or desk at other units to draw up insulin, etc. Also, at other units we routinely handed the insulin syringe to the inmates and had them self inject. At the Huntsville facility (the one where she said that we must stand while giving out the insulin shots) they became absolutely apoplectic when I handed an inmate a syringe. Their argument was that the inmate could steal it and use it for illegal ...blah blah blah. Uh, excuse me, but as a busy RN, I think I can handle one patient at a time and keep track of that ONE syringe, thank you very much. Other units were better, but they all have their certain ways of doing things.

[Strawberrykool]

I'm actually going to the Estelle unit in their dialysis unit. Its a travel assignment. And I wanted to have corrections under my belt

[chulada77, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN]

As an agency nurse, working for UTMB in the prisons is far worse than any inmate or unit! Estelle unit is definitely a fast pace and the other nurses like to see "what you're made of" and all the units are understaffed and have very few RNs due to cost. There are some fabulous nurse managers but several are horrid.

Good luck....

[katkonk, BSN, RN]

I hope your time has gone well in Huntsville. and Chulada77 said it alllllll very very well!

[Strawberrykool]

I haven't started yet