Unsafe Med pass??

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Hey folks, I worked a shift at a local Jail for a Agency to make a few extra dollars as work at my reg 9-5 job has been slow... It was a max security county jail that has at least 600-700 inmates at all times. The first thing I noticed that I thought was insane was on the overnite shift they had 1 RN on no PA NO NP just 1 SINGLE RN for well over 600 people ages 16-100....yes they have a 100 year old inmate...

Any ways they said " help us do a med pass" well the med pass is taking a cart packed with every drug you could possibly name... {Picture pushing a WalGreens store room around on a 4 wheel cart because that was what this was}. And I literally had to give meds to over 600 inmates and they wanted it done in 2 hours. Good grief not only was I deeply sad over the amount of 16 year old boys in there yes here 16 year olds go right to adult jail no seperation from the 40 year old predators at all.. but the med pass was just insanity I can only hope I didn't make any mistakes as often the MAR name and the med package name did not match for example on the MAR brand name but med packet Generic name. plus I was under constant pressure from the deputies to just toss there meds in a cup and throw it at the idiots.. not literally put they did pressure me to go fast... now Mind you some inmates got well over 8-9 meds at one time.

I feel so bad for these Nurses who do this on a daily basis. You talk about Understaffed what the Jails are enduring is beyond what any Nurse should be put under.

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Specializes in burn unit, ER, ICU-CCU, Education, LTC.

Sounds like some long term care facilities I worked for.

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Specializes in burn unit, ER, ICU-CCU, Education, LTC.

We have more people in prison by per cent of population than any other country in the world. We have a prison system that is becoming privatized. Contractors are having prisoners do work for pennies an hour. Our justice system convicts and exterminates innocent people. What is wrong with this picture?

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We have more people in prison by per cent of population than any other country in the world. We have a prison system that is becoming privatized. Contractors are having prisoners do work for pennies an hour. Our justice system convicts and exterminates innocent people. What is wrong with this picture?

We need to find other ways to punish non-violent criminals and supply more opportunities for those with drug problems. I know that is simplistic answer to a complex problem, but it is a start.

To the OP...does sound unsafe, I couldn't imagine passing meds to that many people. Perhaps the regular staff has some sort of shortcuts - like getting the meds ready in the am in cups before going out. They do this in one psych center.

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Specializes in ER.

Pressure to hurry it up on 600 patients, and trying to get it all done in 2 hours? Well, they will just have to wait. It will get done, but it will get done safely, and if that takes 4 hours or more they can just suck it up.

You know what is right in this situation, and what your responsibilities are. Take your time and look things up if you need to. Insanity- you don't even know the patients' histories.

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That IS insane!

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Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

There may be 600 inmates, but is unlikely thay ALL have meds. At night, maybe 100-150 have meds, but they are dispersed thru the building.

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Hey folks, I worked a shift at a local Jail for a Agency to make a few extra dollars as work at my reg 9-5 job has been slow... It was a max security county jail that has at least 600-700 inmates at all times. The first thing I noticed that I thought was insane was on the overnite shift they had 1 RN on no PA NO NP just 1 SINGLE RN for well over 600 people ages 16-100....yes they have a 100 year old inmate...

Any ways they said " help us do a med pass" well the med pass is taking a cart packed with every drug you could possibly name... {Picture pushing a WalGreens store room around on a 4 wheel cart because that was what this was}. And I literally had to give meds to over 600 inmates and they wanted it done in 2 hours. Good grief not only was I deeply sad over the amount of 16 year old boys in there yes here 16 year olds go right to adult jail no seperation from the 40 year old predators at all.. but the med pass was just insanity I can only hope I didn't make any mistakes as often the MAR name and the med package name did not match for example on the MAR brand name but med packet Generic name. plus I was under constant pressure from the deputies to just toss there meds in a cup and throw it at the idiots.. not literally put they did pressure me to go fast... now Mind you some inmates got well over 8-9 meds at one time.

I feel so bad for these Nurses who do this on a daily basis. You talk about Understaffed what the Jails are enduring is beyond what any Nurse should be put under.

wow that is sad...why cant the 16 yr olds get put somewhere else like in a juvenile type of jail..instead of with the 40 yr old men....thats so sad=(

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