Working as a nurse at a correctional facility

PoppaD · Aug 5, 2007

My first job out of Nursing School was at a Medium/Maximum security state facility. On my first day there we had an inmate come into the medical unit after he had been stabbed with a lawn mower blade! My preceptor turned to me and said, "welcome to the pen"...

Corrections is not always bad. You will need to take a personal inventory of of your own feelings of self worth and seek ought ways to mask your reactions to hot topics. For instance, the inamtes have nothing bit time on their hands...and they will probe your for weaknesses every chance that they get. If you are not careful you will give up tidbits of information about yourself that the inmates will share and compile a virtual file on you. It is possible that they will learn not only your name, but also where you live...what kind of car you drive...how many members there arein your family, etc.

Your best line of defense is to perform your job professionally and empathetically, but without sympathy and and fratinization. Do not ask the inmates what they are " in for". Always provide your services professionally and show the inmates the same degree of respect that you demand from them. Never get to know them on a first name basis...always refer to them as "mister/miss" and yourself as either "Nurse _____" or "Mr/Ms/Mrs ____".

I hope this info will help you...feel free to PM me if you need anything further.

Hi, I am interested in possibly persuing correctional nursing, that is nursing in a correctional institution. I am skeptical about how it would be to work in a prison on a day to day basis with convicted felons. Anybody have any experience working in correctional nursing and if so how was the experience? Would you recommend it? I heard the pay is beyond good, but of course if it is kaos on a day to day basis it would hardly be worth it.

RN 4 U · Aug 5, 2007

Yes thank you that does help. That is exactly what someone else told me about being careful, that the inmates will play on your weakness. That does scare me though. I do have some other concerns, i will pm you. ANybody else have any experiences working in a prison?

moosemadness · Oct 9, 2008

Has any female worked in a male prison? How/what did your husband think of that? What are the hours of prison nursing? Is it harder to be female in a male prison? Thanks

Iam46yearsold · Oct 9, 2008

I have never worked in a prison before. But I have considered it recently. While I love ER, I love dealing with the very ill, the traumas and such. I have been looking at this as a change. Of course I do not have a husband or family to worry about their feelings. So I am looking at it. But I also love my freedom where I am at. If I want to take a vacation, I do. I generally take 3 or 4 vacations.