Drhoyer, I’m pleased to know there are future nurses or medical professional that would like to take a trip on my shoes. I will be pleased to give you an idea of what I deal with on a daily bases. I have been working in the correction health system for 2 years, worked on the streets as a paramedic for 8 years and worked in the hospital setting for 7 years. The safest setting for me have been in the jails. I have never been physically harmed, but I have been threaten numberous times. This is one of the factors that is expected and come with the job. I’m the only medical officer availible to our 124 bed facility. This shows the shortage medically trained professionals in the field. In Co facilities, this is all the budget usually allows one trained medical professional. These types of people have excellent skills of manipulation to get what they want be it meds to sustain their high or a field trip out of the jail (complaining of cheat pain, back pain, having a stoke). These students need to have extremily good skills at patient assessments/ head to toe assessments. They need to have a strong grasp of understanding a patient’s vital signs. Use you assessment tools: Pulse OX, stethoscope, EKG/ 12-lead. These tools will help determine the severity of the patient. They need to have knowlegde of budgets, many of these facilities deals with minimal funding for medical expences. This aspect also deals with our paychecks. Stepping off the ambulance to work in the Co. jail my bi-weekly pay got cut in half. The other facet of my job is coordinating doctor appointments with 5-6 (possible more) other medical enities. I have known inmates come to jail for free medical treatment, because they have to pay full price for medical care in the free world. Their way of thinking place it on the tax payers shoulders. This field of medicine comes with a diffient types of stresses medical professionals don’t deal with in a hospial or clinical setting. The rewards that one accomplishes in this field evolves around strong knowledge of medicine and your skills.

I have been a jail nurse for the past 5 years. My facility is small and half of the inmates are “frequent fliers”. I work alone and have a physician twice a week for physicals. I have not been physically assaulted in the time that I have worked here. I have been verbally threatened. I believe that like all possible specialties within the health care system certain nurses like and excell in certain fields. For example, I would not enjoy ICU or medsurg. The Correctional Health Care system is challanging and offers exposure to a multitude of physical complaints (not to mention the mental health aspects). This I enjoy. I am cautious and alert when with inmates. I have officers near by when Im with inmates and I dont feel threatened. ( If you really think about it my patients have been the patients of nurses everywhere and Im the only one who has security when treating them.) My job doesnt cause a problem at home. I vent when needed but actually find this job less stressful then the Office I worked at before comming here. It’s true that you can’t “rescue” all that you come in contact with. (This isnt a pound) But every once in awhile you do get through to an inmate and they take a more productive role in the community. Its worth a shot. Drug seeking, malingering, DT’s, constant threats of legal action, medication refusal, heroin withdrawl, suicide attempts…...not so much fun to face daily. Most of the inmates dont care and dont have anyone to care for them. That is my roll. I am here to care. It is my responsibility to take care of them even if they dont want me to. (Mind you “take care of them” not “make them happy”) Its not easy. But again, when you get that one honest “Thank You” from the heroin addict you nursed through withdrawl for days it makes it all worth it (even though you know as they walk out the door chances are they’ll be back). This is not a job for everyone. You must fight for your cut of the budget. (who cares about the inmates when taxes are high as it it) You must fight the officers ( I gave him an extra sheet so he can wrap it around his neck 6 times before hanging up) You must fight mental health ( I know you said he sleeps all day but I think I will give him trazodone, seroquel, risperdal…......to help him sleep at night). If your nurses want to know what its like have them call the local jail/prison and talk to the medical staff. Shadow a corrections nurse for a day or two. Sorry for such a long response. (didnt know I had so much to say)

I am a teacher of Children and Violence, I have had about 123 hours in Law Enforcement. What I would like to do is hear from correctional officers/nurses about how they feel about medical care in facilities. I have several nurses who would like to do this. As a Pyschologist and Probation and Parole Officer (Jefferson City, MO), I want my nurses to know what they are getting into. I know how it effected me- I was satabbed once and beat up. And that was with my officers next to me- they were as stunned as I was.

I want to know what you think daily , how does it effect your family and nurse turnover. I want hones answer. No names. I want my students to know they can’t go in an rescue. Please help me. If ;you don’t want to post here do it at my home email at pageant4u@hotmail.com. I will respect your privacy= give me a number or intials. Please help me with this. Carol