womens nurses in the jail??? how is...really

shell911rn · Jul 21, 2008

To be a young female RN in this field working with male (and female prisoners, too) is to be open to cat-calls and being stared down like a piece of meat. And sometimes your ears are party to conversations that will disgust you. Young female RN's (and really, any new staff of any age or gender) are sometimes looked at as being vulnerable by inmates and fellow staff alike, so the inmates will try to manipulate you, while your fellow staff will probably try to protect you. But if you remain professional and set boundaries with the inmates (just like you do with children) and do your job, you will be fine. This may involve telling them that you don't appreciate being talked to or stared at. They may or may not listen and custody/officers may or may not back you up. Make sure you find out what your rights are during orientation so you are able to defend yourself even if no one else does.

Is it a dangerous environment? It can be...But the hospital environment can be dangerous, too. The difference is you may have to respond to riots, but if you remember to wait until the officers have secured the scene for your safety and that you are always aware of what is going on around you and to not find yourself alone with an inmate or with an inmate behind you without you knowing about it, it will go a long way towards keeping you safe. I worked in an emergency room before I worked in corrections and there were situations in the ER that left me probably more scared than I've ever felt in the prison setting. At least in the prison/jail setting, you know you are dealing with criminals. On the outside walking on the streets or the people you are caring for in the hospital, you don't know who is or isn't a criminal. So when you look at it that way, you actually feel a little safer in the prison or jail setting. And at my institution, we wear personal alarms and whistles. I sometimes wish I had a personal alarm for when I'm out in public. Don't be naive, though, to think that the officers will always be present to protect you. There's usually not enough of them to be all places at all times. Be aware of your surroundings just as you would be if you were walking down a dark street at night by yourself. Be cautious, but not paranoid. And find out what safety measures the facility employs. They may even have cameras keeping an eye on what is going on within the facility.

hisblueskies · Jul 25, 2008

As far as backup with correctional officer goes - when I am with the general population I feel comfortable - there is always a corrections officer around if I need one. When I have to go to segregation to do treatments or pass pills a correction officer is with me as I gofrom cell to cell. These guys and gals are wonderful - they usually won't tolerate any prisoner giving me a hard time. For the most part I have been treated with politeness and respect from the prisoners - of course you will find more than your fair share of bad apples.

deyo321 · Jul 26, 2008

My experience is similar to hisblueskies. The correctional officers I work with are wonderful. From some of the posts I've read that is not always the case. I consider myself extremely lucky on that count. I really cant say enough about them. Just maintain a professional attitude at all times, and never engage in banter. Treat every inmate equally. Do not divulge personal information. Safety first.

I love correctional nursing. I laugh every day. When I worked geri LTC there were times when I would leave work in tears because I felt I was unable to provide the type of care I wanted to due to staffing, work load etc. The cattiness of that many women under that much stress is something I do not miss. The autonomy of correctional nursing works well for me. You need to have top notch assessment skills and a highly tuned BS meter. I'm not sure I would reccomend it to a new grad. That's just my opinion though. Mostly because the inmates can sense insecurity and weakness and will try to play you. And 99% of us ARE insecure as new grads. I remember that first time the aide stuck her head out the door and said in a panic, "we need the nurse" and I looked over my shoulder toward the desk and then realized that nurse was me!!! :chuckle

So did you take the job?

lauradrizzt · Sep 13, 2008

You would be working with young males, so catcalls are a given...open masturbation is common (at least where I have worked) attempting to ejaculate on the nurses was a game for some of the guys for a while...but these are the Max guys...keep in mind men act like animals...they have a pack mentality. So if there are a group, the group will likely try to give any young thing a time...On the other hand, if you have tough skin....you will just ignore it and not react and that stuff will fade quickly...Believe me it sounds terrible, but I love corrections.

MadisonsMomRN, BSN, RN · Sep 14, 2008

When I first started working in corrections I felt the same way as you. I was scared. But the more I worked the better it got. Of course.... expect cat calls. Our officers are great too (well, at the state prison I work in. I also work in a county detention ctr and they are NOT so great)

For the most part... in my opinion, nurses are respected. We take care of them.

That doesn't dismiss the fact that I feel naked sometimes when I walk in front of them :)

RN Randy · Sep 18, 2008

so, i have this job offer at a correctional facility for men ages 18-25. i'm so excited and have been waiting long for this oppurtnity to arise....but, now that it's here i'm hearing a lot of negative feedback...and it's really starting to get to me....can someone please help me....how is it really being a young female rn in this field? [you'll be a piece of fresh meat. all eyes will be on you at all times, non-stop. if you're not used to a lot of male attention, you will be in for a shock. and no, they aren't interested in you, they are only interested in what they can get for themselves.] is it dangerous? [im's have a tendency to rape, maim and kill, as well as manipulate and blackmail.] what types of inmates/situations can arise from being a female rn?? [see previous... lol. ]are we protected as nurses in such facilities?? [how good are you at knowing who is around you at all times and keeping control of the same? can you bark an order and sound like you mean it? how good are you at reading the real intent in a nice quiet area of calm, average people standing around? can you fend off andre the horny giant for 30-45 seconds? are you willing to look at officer bubba and tell him how things will go, and that no, he will *not* wander off till you are done? can you do all of the above professionally and without coming off like an ass?] any reasurring information or any info at all would be greatly appreciated...[see below.]i know there must me millions of female rns is this field if anyone is willing to talk to me that would be great....if anyone is willing to give me some info of what to expect during the interview process, i'm all ears!!

not withstanding the simple answers i posted above, it's a really challenging and rewarding career path. i see plenty of ladies in the field, and they go about their day without trouble. a lot say it makes them stronger people. it's really hard to be the 'boss' and not be the 'butthead boss' sometimes, but if you have balance, you'll be fine. there's a lot of great times to be had in corrections. you need to go check it out firsthand and decide for yourself at what level or area of corrections you feel comfortable, or where you would like to work. and despite what you'll be told, you really can help a few here and there.

also, i see a lot of peeps saying you should ignore the noises and comments, but my advice is to check inappropriate behavior immediately. it's not always possible, but when they're standing there, look them in the eye and tell them their behavior is inappropriate, and that they can spend a few days in the hole if they do it again; have the officer do it, or whatever, but allowing them to disrespect you openly will only make it ok for them to continue to do it. they have reports and lock-up for those that don't get it, so feel free to use either/both.

as for the job again, i think it's great for anyone. so call around, go have a look, decide what you want to do and just do it. :-)

best of luck!

rb

RN Randy · Sep 18, 2008

You would be working with young males, so catcalls are a given...open masturbation is common (at least where I have worked) attempting to ejaculate on the nurses was a game for some of the guys for a while...but these are the Max guys...keep in mind men act like animals...they have a pack mentality. So if there are a group, the group will likely try to give any young thing a time...On the other hand, if you have tough skin....you will just ignore it and not react and that stuff will fade quickly...Believe me it sounds terrible, but I love corrections.

No doubt.

And women act like wild cats in heat. They lay spread out butt naked, masturbating during count, stand in corners with a hand down their pants that they then pull out and lick a finger at you, "forget" to close doors, and some just walk up and open their robe saying "You want some of this, don't you?" .... and to the hole they go... immediately.

The trick is to not ignore it, squelch it immediately, and it will stop immediately.

Strangely enough, some even come and apologize once they get out.

It's quite an interesting job.

rb

kito4149 · Sep 21, 2008

I agree with RN Randy. Stick to your guns. Develop thick skin. Say what you mean and mean what you say and your BS detection meter will be almost 100%. Demand respect, but you also have to give them a little because don't forget, their still human, even if they act like a pack of stupid wolves. I've been at it for almost two years and I wouldn't trade it.