What to bring to work

[jescalynn, ASN, RN]

6 months after first applying, 4 months after my first interview I got my official offer and background clearance to start as a corrections RN the first of next month! Yay! I'm so excited!

My question for you readers out there what should I bring with me my first day? May seem like a silly question so excuse me if it is, but I've only done icf-ddn nursing and it's no where near the same!

It's time for me to switch gears!

[LFalcon]

A clear bag (like for stadiums) that you can see thru. Your stethoscope, a pen, small note pad, a couple dollars.

No contraband, no cell phones. No hand sanitizer.

I'm new to corrections and learned fast. A sign of contraband items will also be posted. I'd also wear only a watch, little to no jewelry. Wear an undershirt under your top even the smallest gap will make you feel dirty. Good luck! My third week and I love it.

[jescalynn, ASN, RN]

Thanks! No sanitizer? I would have never guessed on that.

[LFalcon]

Anything alcohol based. Alcohol pads - they will suck on them. Drink hand sanitizer.. Whole different world.

[LPNmorse]

RN's at my job do a lot of the intake side. So that means you are the FIRST person to see the inmates being brought in (oh joy!). Your orientation should better suit you for what you need and don't need. The first day I may bring a lunch (with no tin foil, cans, silverware, metal etc.) or you will be excused to eat out of the facility for lunch if not able to eat in. No phones, umbrellas either as you are now in a contraband area (I actually enjoy the fact I get cut off from the world 12 hours a day). If you can wear any type of scrubs the first day rather than street clothes then do it! Basically ask your orientation person if you can scrub up and bring the basic pens/stetho for the first day and you should be good!

My facility uses very small alcohol pads for insulin/injection etc. and we have non-alcohol based hand sanitizer in the cubex. Get used to every little thing possible being stored in a secure location.

[Dave_In_Florida, ADN, LPN, RN]

Don't bring bandage scissors in until you figure out the facility policy. A good facility will keep scissors locked and under a sharps count.

[jescalynn, ASN, RN]

Thank you everyone, looks like day one is just paperwork and training videos so they will be able to inform me then. I'll pack a lunch because this facility is out in the middle of nowhere and leave basically everything in my car

[RNforLongTime]

I bring my own pens and have been even bringing in my stethoscope, a Littmann Master Cardiology, from my days as an ICU RN prior to moving to corrections. I also bring in a notepad. lotion, hand sanitizer(our facility doesn't prevent this and we even have foaming hand sanitizer in the Dept),

Leave your cell phone in your car. At my prison, we are not allowed to bring cellphones in the building whatsoever. They've also banned SmartWatches like the Apple iWatch, the Samsung one, FitBit Surge, because those can sync with cellphones etc. No bandage scissors or hemostats, those are considered sharps and we count them 3x shift.

I also recommend buying Lorry Shoenly's book--The Wizard of Oz Guide to Correctional Nursing, you're not in Kansas anymore. And also her book Essentials of Correctional nursing....both are VERY good references for a new corrections nurse! GOOD LUCK!

[jescalynn, ASN, RN]

Turns out I needed nothing pretty much nothing lol, scrubs a few pens (even though they are technically contraband) and a whistle. Lol I was all worried for nothing.

[Orca, ADN, ASN, RN]

If it's a place where you bring in your lunch, no metal utensils or glass containers. Drinks should be in plastic bottles rather than aluminum cans (you can tear an aluminum can apart and make a very sharp cutting edge).