Where are the real prisons located?

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jan 26, 2004

Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricops County, AZ is known as "America's Toughest Sheriff."

You can read about him here:

http://www.doney.net/aroundaz/celebrity/arapaio_sheriffjoe.htm

Blackcat99 · Jan 26, 2004

Hi Hellllllo Nurse-Thanks so much for telling me about nursing situation in Amarillo. I think I better cross Amarillo off my list. And a special thanks for the link about my favorite sheriff-Joe Arpaio!

I sure wish Joe would run for president of the USA! I bet he would win by a landslide if he did!

Hi Psychrn03-I don't know if Aurora was exaggerating about the Arizona inmates or just joking around. However, I am not joking around. Why should I be expected to kiss-up:kiss to these rapists,child molesters and vicious murderers? Did these inmates show any mercy to their victims? Hell no. The only thing these inmates are sorry about is the fact they got caught period.

Thanks everyone for your e-mail messages:roll

PMHNP10 · Jan 26, 2004

I have no doubt that you are serious. May I ask why you chose to get into correctional nursing?

Aurora · Jan 27, 2004

Blackcat:

If you want to be a correctional officer, then be one.

Joe Arpaio is not tough, he is insane.

Don't bother coming to California, the inmates run the show here, too.

Blackcat99 · Jan 28, 2004

:) Hi psych rn-I got into correctional nursing many years ago when nurses were being laid off due to low census. I wanted job security. How about you?

:chuckle Hi Aurora. No I don't want to be a correctional officer. I am just tired of these inmates constantly "whining". I am tired of their constant lawsuits against nurses etc. I hear the inmates constantly complaining about how awful it is to be in prison. If prison is so awful why do these inmates keep coming back to prison after they are released? I am also tired of losing good nurses who get burned out with these inmates writing them up over every little thing. I am also amazed when I see young nurses flirting with inmates.

Joe Arpaio is my hero. He is not insane. And talking about heroes

I know our brave men and women heroes in the military are sometimes required to live in tents. However, when our spoiled rapists and child molesters are forced to live in tents people think it is so cruel and inhumane. :rolleyes:

:roll Thank you both for your messages

Aurora · Jan 28, 2004

I've known a dozen correctional LVNs like you.

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Jan 28, 2004

If you are interested in a system where there is order and discipline, check out Oklahoma. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but generally, the system is organized, well ordered and purposeful.

However, if you have an especially bad attitude, cross OK off your list too. They are probably not interested in someone who will provide their legal department with lots of complaints by inmates.

I'm interested in the answer to the previously posed question. Hope you'll answer this one: NOW THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF JOBS FOR NURSES, WHY DO YOU STAY IN CORRECTIONAL NURSING? (if you don't like inmates?)

PMHNP10 · Jan 29, 2004

Originally posted by Blackcat99
:) Hi psych rn-I got into correctional nursing many years ago when nurses were being laid off due to low census. I wanted job security. How about you?

Actually I am a psych nurse, but I will be travelling to a correctional facility. On another thread I recently posed a question on this BB about how people handle their feelings, biases, opinions when it comes to inmates. I thought it was reasonable to believe some correctional nurses might have issues caring for a rapist, child abuser, etc, and was wondering how it'd affect their care. On this BB, noone responded saying they really struggle with this, etc. I did get a story from a coworker, though. It seems you are pretty open about your opinions of inmates. Would you mind posting a response on that thread?

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52607

tazpint · Jan 30, 2004

I have worked in a minimum secruity prison in Missouri. They are not too bad. I think in their max prisons is even better,but you work for a contracted company called CMS.Thier pay scale is low and no retirement. I worked the 3rd shift and did not put up with any bogus emergencies. I evaluated them,documented what my assessmnet was and if it was bogus,sent them back to their cells with a medical services request slip which they are required to fill out and go through that process if it is not a real emergency.This was the safest environment I have ever worked in. I enjoyed the experience.

Blackcat99 · Feb 1, 2004

:roll I'm so happy that I was actually able to log in this time. 99% of the time when I try to log in it doesn't work. Thanks everyone for your replies. Please be advised that if I don't reply it's not because I'm trying to be rude it's just that 99% of the time I can't. log on. So I want to say thanks now to everyone while I can. I can always read your messages. Oklahoma and Missouri sound great! I rarely have problems with inmates. I don't know why but it seems that inmates try to cause problems for the loving and kind nurses. You would think they would treat them better but they didn't at the 2 prisons I worked at. I love working in corrections-it's exciting! I get along great with 90% of the inmates. I just get tired of the 10% that are always "whining" all the time.

Anyway,I love to hear everyone's opinion even if I don't agree.

So far, it looks like there are real prisons in Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Any other states?

:roll

tazpint · Feb 1, 2004

Hi blackcat,the reason the loving and kind nurses have trouble are they have not earned the respect of the inmates.You have to be fair,firm, and consistant with them and then the staff and the inmates will respect you. I have more problems with the officers atempting to play doctor and try to diagnosis inmates and then send them down to me. I had one inmate who came down at 1am with a headache and when I explained to him this was not a medical emergency and he should put in a medical request slip for otc apap he said," ..but the officer said I might have an anuerysm." Of course I called that officer and explained,I really doubted he had a medical degree and even if he did he wasn't hired to practice medicine here. I was sooo mad!

Blackcat99 · Feb 4, 2004

:) Hi Tazpint

You are so right about nurses having to earn the respect of the inmates. I can sure understand about the officers trying to play doctor. At my old job an officer would call and tell me that an inmate was having chest pain. When the inmate would arrive I would ask him about his chest pain. The inmate would say no I don't have chest pain. I have a headache.

One night the CO's called me every 30 minutes all night long to tell me to send a specific inmate to the emergency room. The director of nurses had told me that this inmate was not to go to the ER

for his back pain under any circumstances. I told the CO's what the DON said and they still called me every 30 minutes!!!!Of course, the next day the inmate had a "miraculous recovery":rolleyes: