UNBELIEVABLE what goes on here

[Bailey246]

[ I have been a correctional nurse at OSP for over one yr. Here's the facts. I have been a seasoned RN for over 30 yrs. Well seasoned and experienced. I have earned the inmates respect over this period. T I am fair, firm, consistent. Inmates also know I follow thru on my promises. If I say I will check on something for them, I will. This is what I have encountered. Absolute laziness from majority of correctional officers. Now, let's get to the point of this. In over 30 yrs. of nursing I have never EVER EVER encountered such poor nursing care given by nurses. Most incompetent, important mistakes hidden by management! They is absolutely no teamwork. Doesn,t exist. Charting is a joke. When nurses asked to do something, often the reply is ,"NO". I have never known "NO" was an option when requested by superiors, or that nurse just doesn,t want to do that assignment. General attitude is "who cares". WOW total insanity! The work is not hard. And yet the viciousness of the RN,s is on a level I have never experienced. Most of these RN,s never worked anywhere else. Believe me, they would not be able to work anywhere else with their attitude and incompetence. How sad for the few that try to make a difference. Yes, I am looking to get out. The job market not great in this area. How sad the direction nursing has taken. Thanks for letting me vent!

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Very sad. I'm a volunteer with a prison monitoring group and do prison visits. The entire prison system needs to be overhauled. Don't get me started on the sad state of prison healthcare in the US:

Hep C treatment that is just not offered period - too expensive.

Mold/mildew so thick that respiratory ailments are rampant in some of the older facilities.

I thank you for you taking care of the most disenfranchised portion of the US population.

[amoLucia]

I've known state/county run healthcare facilities to have poor systems also. I don't want to disparage all civil service staff, but I do suspect that their being 'lifers' has something to do with the conditions seen.

I speak from experience. I have worked with staff that should receive angel wings for their dedication & caring, and then some others who I'm sure will burn in hell some day.

So sad for you. Become an advocate AFTER you get out. Apathy and/or repercussions you do not need.

Thank you for caring.

[CalNevaMimi, LPN, LVN]

I worked at a maximum security prison. I have to say it made me a better nurse for sure. For the most part the prisoners were respectful and only got agitated with the nurses when they were expecting something, such as a KOP (keep on person) item or prescription renewal, and they had to ask over and over again about it. Here comes the surprise -- by far, the worst part of working at the prison was a large percentage of the nurses acting horribly to each other. My explanation for that was that they were bored during the down time or simply were sleep-deprived and miserable. The running joke was that the prisoners treated me with more respect than some of the senior nurses. It was worse than high school. The gossip was horrendous. People's buttons were constantly being pushed. Reminds me of the Stephen King book Needful Things. The positives I gained were becoming almost fearless with other nursing positions, truly appreciating nurturing staff members, and earning a really thick skin. What will always stick with me is what one inmate said to me on his last day of incarceration: "Thank you for treating me like a human being."

[RookieRoo]

I've worked as a CO for a very brief period of time, while I was waiting to start nursing school. I therefore have a non-nursing perspective on this matter, but I would agree with many of the comments here that the prison RNs were viscious, mean, and in many cases, incompetent. I could not believe some of what went on and having the clinical knowledge that I do now at the end of nursing school, some of what they did was just plain wrong. Left a very bad taste in my mouth, for sure.