Here is the question that has been asked since I have been working for corrections. What is your response to those who were annoyed about medical care for the IM.
Or those who get upset about there tax dollars paying for the free medical care. :angryfire
My response = Every one deserves medical care. If an infection broke out in the prison....... it would need to be extinguish with medical care / antibiotics before spread to the outside public.
I agree with the fact that they deserve basic medical care. What I hate is when they make it definitely know that they are entitled. They come to medical crying wolf with chest pain or vomiting... so we house them in medical for observation. Many inmates hate it. ( this is at the county jail I work at) Our jail charges $4 a visit for sick calls. Physicals are free. US Marshalls and INS pay $0 for everything. We do almost everything inhouse... ekg's, pelvics, I&D's etc. The pregnant ones do go out for ob appts.
Recently, we took ALL narcs including methadone out. They get nothing. We stock Tylenol 3 and thats it. If they are ordered T3 they must be housed in medical to receive it. We have Serax and Librium for alcohol detox. We do stock haldol, congentin, benadryl, and ativan IM for the extremely combative or psych patients. I don't know how many heroin addicts come in and ask for methadone. Nope... not this time. We monitor them thats all.
Funny how stunned the inmates are when taught the difference between wants and needs in medical care. Since incarceration is not part of the service industry, comfort is not an issue that has to be addressed. You are supposed to be uncomfortable in jail. That's the whole point the judge tries to get accross. Medical care has become so service oriented on the outside that the general public truly doesn't know.
I use to work at the jail and the new inmates would tell me they haven't taken any of their B/P meds on the outside for 3 months. Of course, once we would get the new inmates they would immediately become very angry and demand that they get their B/P pills right away-stat.
I use to work at the jail and the new inmates would tell me they haven't taken any of their B/P meds on the outside for 3 months. Of course, once we would get the new inmates they would immediately become very angry and demand that they get their B/P pills right away-stat.
Exactly!! I hate that. I just had a female who came in and needed meds. the day after I refill for her, someone bonded her out. The thing that burns me is you can't not get their meds for them. If you call their FP and they have a diagnosis to support the med, you have no choice. But I do tell the inmates this, " You chose not to take your meds, I don't care what yoour reason is, so if you get sick before I can track down your doctor, it's your fault, not mine." I have a morbidly obese male right now who was involved in a high speed chase, cocaine possession. Obviously he was only selling.:w00t: Anyway, he threatens to sue me because I refused to clip his toenails for him and gave him the clippers. He's mad because I would't get him a reacher so he wouldn't have to bend over to pick up things. Please!
I'm liberal on most things, but this issue is one of my conservative ones. I have a problem with inmates and their free medical care because I have a problem with a system that rewards those who do nothing to contribute to society (this includes SOME (not all) welfare recipients) and makes it darn hard for those who are trying to better their lives. Case in point: I have a friend who is on welfare. She needs it as she is a single mother who is getting an education and trying to make a better life for her and her child. She wants to have a job, but the minute she does that, she loses all her benefits that she desperately needs because she cannot make enough money to make it worth while to be off of welfare. She does not receive free medical care. With a part-time job she makes too much money for medicaid. In my mind she does deserve free medical care. I would have no issues or problems with inmates getting free care if people like my friend could have the same benefit. But, that's not the case, so I have a problem with inmates getting free medical care.
It's true. When I worked in corrections, I had several pregnant women admit they got arrested on purpose. Some for the care, and some because they knew if they were incarcerated, they wouldn't be able to take drugs while pregnant.
Well that's about the best use of tax dollars I've heard in a while. LOL!
I believe everyone should have access to lifesaving care, however there are many decent working people that cannot get the care that some inmates get. Interesting story. My husband has had a difficult couple of years. He lost a job and mentally had a difficult time for a while. He had some dental issues that did not get taken care of and now needs extractions and dentures. Unfortunately our dental insurance has a low cap. His teeth are causing chronic infection and health issues but no dentists will accept payments unless you can get a special credit card which we cannot qualify due to some financial issues after his job loss. I am just frustrated because if we were on welfare or he was in prison he could get the care that we pay lots of taxes for others to have.
I work in the intake area and many many many of them claim LOC with even the smallest bump on the head. The LOC will probably require a CT of the head, not to mention the cost of the ER visit itsself. Often times the officer will say "he did not lose consciousness" but I have to cover my lisence because the cop may just be saying that so he doesn't have to waste his time going to the hospital. And the time that I do take the officer's word would be the time the inmate was telling the truth! (I would never take the officer's word. You won't be covered in court.) In court, the officer could just deny having said that. But anyway, there are many claims of LOC and you just "know" when they're lying, but you can't chart "they're lying", so you have to send them. This costs thousands and thousands of dollars per year. And I am just talking about the false LOC claims, not to mention the false chest pain, false other injuries, etc, etc.
That is what infuriates me about it. The type of clientele is more likely to try to manipulate, therefore, it is such an incredible expense.
I agree that it's very frustrating that inmates usually receive better medical care than the "free world". It's also well known to those who work in corrections that inmates will abuse this privilege just cause they can. Why should they try to become productive individuals when they can get housing, clothing, food, medical, etc.... for little to no cost? Unfortunately for us, it's a way for them to get their needs met. Until the responsibility gets put on the inmates they are not going to change. At my institution we charge the inmates $8.00 for a doc or nurse visit unless it's a self inflicted injury or an altercation then it's $35.00 and up plus we try to keep as much as possible inside the system. All F/U's, specialty clinic (diabetes, HTN, HIV, seizures, etc...), and mental health is free. Although this doesn't always deter inmates from abusing the system it sure does cut down on it. And the reaction they give when they find out if they don't pay the accrued costs while in prison that they get to pay it when they get out is PRICELESS!!!!!!
Specializes in Happily semi-retired; excited for the whole whammy.
I mostly feel that we really don't know the situations that qualify people for any form of state aid, but tonight I'm a bit annoyed. My insurance company just refused to approve payment for a prescription that is covered by Medicaid. That just seems wrong to me...
At my institution we charge the inmates $8.00 for a doc or nurse visit unless it's a self inflicted injury or an altercation then it's $35.00 and up plus we try to keep as much as possible inside the system. All F/U's, specialty clinic (diabetes, HTN, HIV, seizures, etc...), and mental health is free. Although this doesn't always deter inmates from abusing the system it sure does cut down on it. And the reaction they give when they find out if they don't pay the accrued costs while in prison that they get to pay it when they get out is PRICELESS!!!!!!
RN.38SPCL
58 Posts
Funny how stunned the inmates are when taught the difference between wants and needs in medical care. Since incarceration is not part of the service industry, comfort is not an issue that has to be addressed. You are supposed to be uncomfortable in jail. That's the whole point the judge tries to get accross. Medical care has become so service oriented on the outside that the general public truly doesn't know.