Typical night shift duties

dcale · Nov 22, 2005

I worked briefly in an all male correctional facility on the night shift . Duties was mostly paper work. Reading the inmates request for sick call for the next day and pulling his medical record. The R.N. would be stationed with the C.O. in the infirmary. Naturally you would give scheduled meds to the inmates in the infirmary.

The R.N. was also responsible for assessing any new incoming inmate and the paper work that involves. Assess inmate brought to the infirmary or officer that came to the infirmary with complains of illness. Sending out inmate to local hospital in emergency situation and making the physician

aware.

There is usually 1 R.N. and 1 L.P.N. working the night shift. In the facility that I worked in the LPN was always assigned to work in the medication room.

2003rn, ASN, RN · Nov 24, 2005

dcale,

Thanks for the reply.

DG

jailnurse1033 · Dec 3, 2005

I work night shift in a 200 bed male prison and we are staffed with 1 nurse (RN or LPN) on this shift. It is one of the busier night shift jobs that I've had. Duties include: Paper work - what night shift would be complete without it! Taking off orders, ordering meds and supplies, restocking the work area. Assessing every drunk that is brought into the drunk tank - and nights is the shift where they pour in. We always have 5 or so new "lodgings" that are withdrawing from opiates or etoh - they get assessed and medicated q shift. Responding to emergencies with in the facility - most of the suicide attempts occur at night - also the population we serve in corrections tends to be a group of people who have not taken care of their health on the outside so all conditions are poorly controlled - lots of dental, medical and mental health problems. Lots of wound assessment and care - usually minor but strong assessment skills are a plus. These people love a trip to the hospital and try to fake seizures, heart attacks and unresponsiveness. Of course there are meds to pass, diabetic care, and all fasting labs are drawn on my time.

When I started in Corrections 3 yrs ago my facility was half female - I would now never work in a female facility - the male inmates are by far less needy, less time consuming and much easier to deal with. The big difference between corrections and other jobs I've had is the nature of the environment - medical is not top dog at the prison, we are a small secondary dept. - security is always primary. We bow to security. You really have to "get" this to work successfully in this area.

I'd love to know if you took the job, and what you think of it. Best of luck!

crjnursewarrior · Dec 5, 2005

I would agree with a few things Jailnurse said...you have to be on your toes with your assessment skills...and watch out, for some of these inmates are EXCELLENT actors. They fake seizures and unresponsiveness like nobody's business! I have had inmates that are able to lay completely still through a sternal rub or when you break an ammonia inhalant under their nose. However, something always manages to give them away and you know they are faking. Also, you must always remember security...security comes first, no matter what. As Jailnurse said, you must "get" this to work in the environment, and you must be able to accept it. This is very hard for some nurses to accept, especially ones coming in with a hospital or dr's office background. It is hard for them to get out of that mind set at first. People come to hospitals and dr's offices for the explicit purpose of receiving heatlthcare. Inmates come to jail because they are criminals who have broken the law. If they are sick while they are there or have a chronic illness, it is our job to treat them, but they are not there solely for that purpose, so again many factors come into play here. And again, security is one issue. You can't just leave needles, scissors, or anything that could potentially become a weapon laying around. This compromises your safety, as well as the officers who are there protecting you. It is important that you get to know the rules of the facility and follow them closely. They exist for your safety. If an inmate figures out you will break the rules for him/her, they will target you everytime. Also, if you don't want to do something for the 249 other inmates don't do it for one. (I'm using the number 250 since that is about how many inmates we have.) Also, the female inmates are definitely the worst (and some of the best actors!)...We have around 25-30 at any given time. They are usually PSYCHO!! You could not pay me enough to work in an all female facility!! Best wishes to you...my hat is off to you if you take the job!!:bowingpur

BigB · Dec 8, 2005

" I would now never work in a female facility - the male inmates are by far less needy, less time consuming and much easier to deal with."

I have repeatedly heard that female prisoners are worse than then male prisoners.

"They fake seizures and unresponsiveness like nobody's business! I have had inmates that are able to lay completely still through a sternal rub or when you break an ammonia inhalant under their nose. However, something always manages to give them away and you know they are faking."

Can you share with the class what to look out for that would give them away?

bsweilrn · Jan 17, 2006

I work in a 450 bed medium custody prison. We have a chronic dz unit and a psych unit. We staff 24/7 and do triage calls after hours for ~8 other prisons.

Right now there are three of us working 3rd shift.(2RN 1LPN)

When all three are there, we divide the responsibilities. I generally get the charts ready for the next days sick call, and monitor the lockdown unit where there are generally a couple of inmates placed on therapeutic seclusion or suicide watch.

BSWEILRN

military spouse · Jan 17, 2006

Just started in a 2,000 inmate facility. One nurse on nights. Responsibilities include all AM insulins and FSBS (40+) and all labs (15-20 draws per night). Not a great job.

nurseT · Jan 17, 2006

" I would now never work in a female facility - the male inmates are by far less needy, less time consuming and much easier to deal with."
I have repeatedly heard that female prisoners are worse than then male prisoners.
"They fake seizures and unresponsiveness like nobody's business! I have had inmates that are able to lay completely still through a sternal rub or when you break an ammonia inhalant under their nose. However, something always manages to give them away and you know they are faking."
Can you share with the class what to look out for that would give them away?

BigB... can you share with the class? is too funny.

nurseT · Jan 18, 2006

Just started in a 2,000 inmate facility. One nurse on nights. Responsibilities include all AM insulins and FSBS (40+) and all labs (15-20 draws per night). Not a great job.

:eek: That is rediculous!

I am the only nurse, I work county jail, 225 maximum security inmates right now. Any wound cases are brought to holding for segregation, provided with woundcare supplies and taught how to care for same. Very seldom have wound cases. I check on them daily just as if they lived at home and repeat teaching. They are not supplied with sissors. All diabetics check and record their own BS and draw up their own insulin at the med cart.The men always-always call their mother crying about how terribly ill they are and that no one even cares. Mom will call me and ask why sonny is so sick, and here I'd never recieved a request from the inmate. When I go check it out they act like they don't know what I'm talking about. Sometimes they have already been on treatment for something and still call their mothers to break their hearts. The men like to diagnose themselves and tell you how to manage their case. The women are really nasty but never call there mothers or anybody else and complain. The most I get from the women is they want a pregnancy test when they first come in. Mostly they have'nt got a clue about natural body processes or how to take care of themselves and they come all unglued about normal events/ functions, things they should have learned from a mother. Girl You need 2-3 nurses.

crjnursewarrior · Jan 18, 2006

Hee Hee Hee:chuckle

NurseT is SOOOO right!! The men are the ones who call their mothers! And if they have already been treated, they are usually non-compliant! And they still call their mommies to complain! The females...NurseT is exactly right! They complain about EVERYTHING!! "My stomach hurts"...can you say menstrual cramps??? :uhoh3:

2003rn, ASN, RN · Jan 20, 2006

Since I started working in a female correctional facility, the c/o include anything from a pimple to dandruff, cramps, constipation, etc, then they c/o about the $3 they get charged for a sick call.